The latest Taylor Jenkins Reid was definitely a highly anticipated read for me of the year, when I was approved for the e-ARC my jaw definitely dropped! Taking place in the same universe as Daisy Six/Evelyn Hugo/Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto Is Back brings back, you guessed it, Carrie Soto, from Malibu Rising. Often seen as cold, nicknamed “the Battle-Axe”, Carrie was the best tennis player the world had seen prior to her retirement. Trained from a young age by her father, all Carrie has ever wanted was to be the best. However, six years after her retirement, Nicki Chan is about to beat Carrie’s record for most Grand Slam titles. At thirty-seven, Carrie comes out of retirement, training her now much older body, in an attempt to reclaim her record.

I didn’t immediately connect with Carrie or the very technical Tennis aspect of the book immediately, but I was entertained and found myself getting through it in a few longer reading bursts. However, the last third, WOW. I could not put it down. What an emotional rollercoaster. Books don’t make me cry but I feel like this one could have. Kudos to TJR for making me love a character who on the surface, was not very likable.

The way the media treat Carrie for being an ambitious woman is definitely a theme throughout the book. She’s often referred to, by male sports anchors, as a bitch. Carrie does miss out on a lot of life experiences and relationships with other people, but she is driven and knows what she wants and does not apologize for it. That being said, I adored the relationship she has with her father, their interactions always warmed my heart.

I’m really glad I kept going with this one, it definitely has left a mark on my heart. I think if you know and understand Tennis, you’ll probably love it even more!

Carrie Soto Is Back is out on August 30th! Thank you so much to @pengiunrandomca & @netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

⭐4/5 stars⭐

Thank you to NetGalley, Taylor Jenkins Reid and Penguin Random House Canada for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This didn’t feel like the other Reid novels to me, but it was still enjoyable. There is a lot of tennis talk, which I actually enjoyed and a lot of Spanish that I liked to see in there but hated that I didn’t understand. I started this one and left off at 85% for a long time because I didn’t want it to end. It isn’t my favourite TJR but I honestly loved all the characters and how different this novel was!

This was a conflicting read.

Taylor Jenkins Ried is a great writer. This was interesting, and another great character that was introduced. But I can’t seem to get passed the fact that Reid is a white cis author writing from a Latinx perspective. I couldn’t enjoy it really, that took me out of it.

Thank you so to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆. 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐.”

I was very excited to dive back into Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing, especially after finishing Malibu Rising and knowing that we would get a large focus on a character who made a few minor appearances there.

There were many things I liked about this book. You know what to expect with TJR’s writing in that it’ll tell someone’s story, playing with past and present, as a narrative frame, and this one very much reads like an autobiography. Not knowing a lot about tennis, I was nervous about not being able to follow along but Carrie’s father, Javier giving the basics of tennis when she is young was a helpful device for a reader who is not familiar and helps set foundation. Carrie is a tough character to love - she is fierce and has the moniker “The Battle Axe,” but I loved seeing her relationship with her father grow, alongside her developing relationship with fellow player, Bowe Huntley. Bowe is a character I would’ve loved to see more of, and get his point of view. Reid plays with expectations of what a female athlete can do versus a male athlete, pointing out many double standards; the articles, op ed pieces, and transcripts in between each big match was a unique way to share information and to point out some those double standards. I did feel like parts of the book dragged, there was a lot of repetition of the games and it wasn’t until the last quarter that I felt the story got moving (it helped to have the inclusion of Bowe, Carrie’s agent Gwen and her rival, Nikki). I also wondered why Carrie was portrayed as Latina - she didn’t seem overly proud of her heritage, except to speak Spanish with her father; I wondered if Reid as a white woman could truly write authentically for a Latina voice.

Carrie Soto Is Back is a story of determination, ambition, rivalry, father-daughter relationships, and opening yourself to love. It is fun wondering if Reid has planted a hint as to who she is writing about next in this world she has created (I especially love Carrie reading an unauthorized biography of Daisy Jones and the Six, alongside mentions of Now This and Vivant magazines). Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada, Doubleday Canada, and NetGalley for the ARC!

I have never liked competition, and I know nothing about tennis. Yet somehow, TJR made this book so interesting it was hard to put down!

I loved Carrie's character, she's tough and works hard, and I'm sure book clubs will have a lot of interesting discussions about various aspects of the character. There is the occasional Spanish, the longer phrases I did not understand and it was never translated, but I think that's my only complaint about this book. (Also, do people actually recognize tennis players in public? I certainly never would. I wouldn't recognize any professional sports player, actually.)

Carrie Soto Is Back is another winner for me by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This follows tennis star Carrie Soto as she returns to professional tennis to defend her record of most grand slam titles of all time. It also follows Carrie as she starts to open herself up to others and figure out what life will be like once she finally lays down her racket for good.

I am in love with this book. Tennis is the only sport I really watch and I just loved reading about the matches, rivals, and behind the scenes of tournaments in this book. Carrie is another strong female main character just like many of TJRs main characters before her. I will forever love the way TJR puts Easter eggs in all her books that connects you as a reader to her stories.

Read an eARC courtesy of Netgalley; the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada; and the author, Taylor Jenkins Reid. Thank you for the opportunity.

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. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father former tennis pro Javier, as her coach.
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,’fellow players are hesitant knob her “mature” age she is determined to get it done.

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s is once again showing her talent for storytelling and strong character development in her new release.. Told between past and present at first, we get to see Carrie’s career starting off before following her in the biggest tournaments of her life with a possible romance story brewing in the background. With a mix of press releases, interviews and narration, this book had me hooked from page one, wanting to know what would happen next, if Carrie could make her dreams come true and, most of it all, if she could find happiness after all. I adored it.

Though I am not a tennis fan, I really enjoyed this book about a tennis player.

Carrie Soto is a legendary tennis star when she retires after setting a record for Grand Slam titles. Six years later, her record is broken so, at the age of 37, with her father Javier as her coach, Carrie comes out of retirement to reclaim her record.

Though there are a lot of tennis matches, this is very much a novel of character. Carrie emerges as a flawed, complex character who is not always likeable. She is described as “self-absorbed and wickedly ambitious” and these traits are in abundant evidence. She is fiercely competitive and goal-oriented, so relentlessly focused on her game that she makes no time to socialize with other players. Aside from her father and her agent, she really has no friends, so she is seen as cold and standoffish. It is not surprising that she earns the nickname The Battle Axe. She is brusque to the point of rudeness; when one player comments that “’The Battle Axe doesn’t talk to us . . . We are beneath her,’” Carrie replies, “’I am ranked number two. And you are ranked- what? Maybe thirty? So in this case, yes, you are beneath me.’” One person tells her, “’every sentence that comes out of your mouth is like a razor blade.’”

Despite her abrasiveness and obnoxious behaviour, the reader will root for Carrie. It is impossible not to admire her drive and determination. Having been groomed almost from birth to be a tennis star, she sacrifices so much to achieve her goals. She is lonely but after a relationship ends badly, she decides, “Whatever soft parts of my heart I had tentatively exposed . . . it had been a mistake. I would never again be that type of fool.” Even her brutal honesty is refreshing. For instance, when a male player diminishes her tournament win because men play five sets whereas women play three, Carrie verbally attacks: “’if I played you two out of three or three out of five, I would drag you across the court and murder your -.’” And she must accept constant criticism from the media and the public who are quick to judge: “When I decided to play professional tennis, I apparently signed a contract to let people talk shit about me for the rest of my life.”

Sexism in sport is one of the issues examined. Carrie lacks charm so the media turns on her. She describes how sports commentators want her to behave: “It was okay to win as long as I acted surprised when I did and attributed it to luck. I should never let on how much I wanted to win or, worse, that I believed I deserved to win. And I should never, under any circumstances, admit that I did not believe all of my opponents were just as worthy as I was. . . . they wanted a woman whose eyes would tear up with gratitude, as if she owed them her victory as if she owed them everything she had.” Her self-assured attitude earns her nicknames like The Battle Axe and worse, whereas male players who show confidence are lauded; even her father is nicknamed The Jaguar. As a woman tennis player, she is expected to be beautiful and graceful as well as competent. Another female player comments “’because you like to hit a ball around a court . . . it’s okay for people to call you ‘the Beast’ just because you’re strong? And they can comment on your clothes and hair?’” I loved Carrie’s reference to living “in a world where exceptional women have to sit around waiting for mediocre men.”

During her comeback, Carrie is very much on a journey of self-discovery. It is obvious that her childhood experiences and her upbringing, coached by her single father, have shaped her personality. She has focused on her career and, she agrees when a coach says, “’being the very best is antithetical to being happy.’” She is so pre-occupied with winning that she ceases to enjoy playing and loses the joy of success: “When did winning become something I needed in order to survive? Something I did not enjoy having, so much as panic without?" When she announces her comeback, Carrie’s agent questions whether it is honour or ego that is driving her. Bowe Huntley, a player who becomes increasingly important in her life, tells Carrie, “’you came back to win, not to play.’” Her father and others try to show her that greatness can be measured in many different ways, that achievements are ephemeral, and that it is possible to “’[feel] secure, even knowing you are not the best.’” Carrie struggles throughout with making peace with her limitations, with accepting that she can be, as Bowe describes her, perfect despite her imperfections. She also struggles with making room in her life for others and opening herself to love and happiness.

Initially I was concerned that the focus on tennis and my lack of knowledge of the sport would impede my enjoyment, but that proved not to be the case. All that the reader needs to know is clearly summarized near the beginning. The games are described in such a way that I became fully invested in the outcome. Will Carrie be able to defeat her younger, faster opponents? The suspense had me turning pages quickly.

What did bother me is the Spanish dialogue. Carrie and her father often speak in Spanish and there is not always a clear indication of what they’re saying. I was able to decipher some of their conversations but found myself frustrated when I couldn’t.

Despite my initial misgivings, I found this book an entertaining, even compelling, read. The ending, though very satisfying, had me wishing for more.

Note: I received a digital galley from the publisher via NetGalley so the quotations in my review may not be exactly as they will appear in the final copy.

This book was a fun read! I really loved Carrie and her perseverance to succeed in tennis. Her comeback was glorious but didn't end as I wanted it to. I love how Reid creates unique stories with loveable and not-so-loveable characters.

Wow I wanted to love this one, I really really wanted to. TJR is one of my favourite authors but not being a tennis fan had me worried going in and I’ll admit - the first 100 or so pages I thought TJR’s amazing storytelling ability had won me over. But in the end, the non stop tennis play by play just bored me.

I liked Carrie’s “BattleAxe” attitude. I laughed out loud at a couple of things she said in interviews.

I loved the relationship between Carrie and her dad. As much as it was a main focus in the plot, I found the tennis talk overshadowed it. There truly wasn’t much of a story behind the tennis - it got repetitive …fast.

I know I’m in the minority with this one, but I know I’m not alone. I think this will be a major hit or major miss type of book and unfortunately it’s the latter for me.

Really loved the content of this book but thought the writing was plain and what we expect from this author. That is not to say it is bad writing but just nothing crazy innovative or moving. It is an easy read but really held my attention with its commentary on women in sports and stereotypes that often evolve from that situation. I loved how Carrie developed throughout the book and think her character arc was super full and well done. Overall probably my favourite book by this author.

I would be hard-pressed to find a novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid that I didn't love, and this one continued the tradition. While it wasn't my favourite, I thoroughly enjoyed it and was (as always) invested in the story and characters completely.
Another hit!
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year as TJR can do no wrong in my eyes but I will admit I was a little hesitant and worried about this one being all about Tennis, but this one blew me away!

TJR just has a knack for creating stories and characters that just resonate with me and it’s truly unparalleled. I become so emotionally invested and I was honestly shocked how attached I grew to Carrie despite her IDGAF/apathetic and standoffish personality. Writing such strong and powerful female leads is definitely her forte and I relished in the Malibu Rising and Daisy Jones Easter eggs!

I rotated this one between a physical copy and audio as once I started it, I couldn’t stop and was therefore so grateful to have a complimenting audio copy! Let me tell you, this was hands down my favourite audio that I’ve ever listened to! With such an wide cast of narrators and switching between different medias of sportscasters announcements and headlines, this was truly phenomenal! *chef’s kiss*

Non sports fans do not worry! While I personally love my sports, I know nothing about Tennis but I loved it just as well! TJR gives such clear and concise details when talking about the sport and she makes it so atmospheric that you feel right there in the first row of the stands.

I feel like I could go on forever about this one but I’ll just end by saying this was a
gorgeous tale of perseverance and is the ultimate comeback story and I was so happy to be along for the journey!

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for my gifted advanced ARC in exchange for my honest review.

🎾Was it my favourite TJR? I’m not going to lie, no. BUT, could I put it down? Also no. Don’t ask me why, I can’t put my finger on it right now and that’s why this review has taken me so long.

This was very heavily tennis-focused which I honestly didn’t mind, although some reviews claim otherwise. I don’t love playing tennis per se (had a bad experience with lessons as a kid) but MARIO TENNIS is my jam so having a general knowledge of the sport helped.

👟I loved her determination & the love between Carrie, her father, and their shared love of tennis. I appreciated her commentary on the struggles that women face, particularly in sport. Told with snippets of the past, pieced together with news articles sprinkled throughout, TJR once again executes telling the story of a character’s past while showcasing their growth, making you believe Carrie Soto exists in real life.

For fans of #TaylorJenkinsReid, for sports fan, especially women in sport! There’s also a MALIBU RISING crossover 👀

4.25 stars rounded up to 5.

Carrie Soto is the best kind of character to hate! I have so many thoughts on this book and honestly am still figuring out how to express them properly!

10/10

A must read

Do yourself a favor and pre-order this book!

4.5 stars!
Carrie Soto is an iconic tennis player with the world record for the most Grand Slams titles when she retires. A new player on the scene is challenging her record by potentially taking the title of Greatest Player Ever from her in the next year. At 37, she decides to make a comeback in the world of professional tennis with the support of her father (her old coach) and an old flame, who has his own battles to fight on the court.

TJR has rocked my world again. I loved the setting in book! The settings around the world and the time period (1970s-1990s). All of the pop culture references made it so cool. Carrie, the Battleaxe, was so tenacious. She is one of my fave female protagonists ever. She was so unafraid of showing the world how determined she was. The public thought her being driven was wrong (definitely in part because of the fact that she is a woman) and she shouldered that opinion like a total badass. I loved Bowe for Carrie and how he had his own path of redemption he was trying to walk. The audio experience I got due to my review copy from @prh.audio and @librofm was phenomenal! There is a full cast and I loved the sports broadcasts. When the Riva family appeared from TJR’s other novels, I was squealing with joy. I wish I got to know Nikki more, but this was one of my fave reads of the year so far!

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again!!!!! Seriously tho, I’ve read everything on her backlist (minus one, don’t worry I’m coming for you soon MIAL) and I’ve truly never been disappointed. Out of TJR’s recent historical fiction books Carrie Soto Is Back takes the cake as my favorite (and I do not say this lightly).

I’m not surprised that I loved the sports aspect of this book because I love to watch sports. BUT I never knew reading about tennis could be so entertaining? I would take reading this book over watching a real tennis match ANYDAY.

Ok, the characters. Carrie was everything. She was a firecracker and took absolutely no shit. I loved her with my whole heart. Javier Soto, my oh my. I loved the dynamics between Carrie and Javier. It was beautiful to read about their father-daughter relationship. Bowe?? He was the cherry on top for me. I loved his relationship with Carrie and with Javier. He was a really special character in this book. Nicki! MY girl. Loved her so much. Also another firecracker tennis player and although she wasn’t in much of the book, every time she made an appearance I loved her. (TJR, can we get a Nicki book?)

Everything else was perfect (surprise, surprise). The pacing, the layout, the writing, the whole dang book. TJR keeps me coming back time and time again and I will forever be one of her fans. Also the Daisy Jones and Nina Riva references were perfect.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Sports Fiction
Publication Date: August 30, 2022

Oh Carrie Soto. How we loved to hate you so! Or at least we did until this book when Taylor Jenkins Reid worked her magic. You may remember Carrie Soto as the “homewrecker” from Malibu Rising. Jenkins Reid managed not only to make me understand Carrie but I was actually rooting for her… hard. Carrie, you poor, misunderstood soul.

Carrie Soto is retired from her lustrous career as a tennis pro but when a younger female tennis player threatens to challenge Carrie’s record as a female tennis player she does the unthinkable at 37. Against all odds, she comes out of retirement to defend her records.

This book will receive a lot of attention because of its author and rightfully so. There is a LOT of attention and detail put into tennis. I’m talking statistics, methods, and mechanics but don’t let that be a reason you don’t pick this up! I can’t speak to the accuracy of any of these things as a non-tennis player however, it sounded really believable and well-researched to this uninformed person. However, beneath all the tennis talk is a story of one woman’s determination, identity and perseverance. Above all, it is a story about growth in the face of limitations and about how you are never too old to achieve your dreams.

This release is kind of timely considering the recent Vanity Fair article in which Serena Williams announced her retirement from tennis because she wanted to grow her family. This book shows what Carrie had to give up in order to become a top tennis player and how much harder that was for her because she was female.

Carrie Soto is Back is just another example of how Taylor Jenkins Reid manages to write a flawless novel time after time.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada, Doubleday Books and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again, another book I couldn't put down. Listen, I'm not even into tennis at all and I was still so captivated by this story.

Carrie Soto (remember her from Malibu Rising?) shattered records throughout her prime. She has a 'win at all costs' attitude and didn't make many friends on the tour. She was there to win, not make friends. Eventually injuries and her age caught up with her and she was forced to retire.

At 37 years old, a good six years into retirement, she sits at the US Open watching her record be tied by Nicki Chan. This very moment lit an immediate fire under her and set her on a mission to return to training, coached by her father, Javier, come out of retirement and reclaim her record. Everyone in the tennis world, especially the media, thinks she's beyond crazy and there's no way a 37 year old can return and win any slams. Will she be able to do it?

This story was intense, emotional and captivating. The characters are great, I loved every one of them. Reading about the matches made me feel like I was in the stadium watching them live. I was on the edge of my seat! TJR fans you will not be disappointed! And if you haven't read any TJR yet, what the heck are you waiting for?

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an insta read author for me. I love everything she writes and this is no exception. Reid never disappoints!