Carrie Soto Is Back: A Novel

Some books you enjoy. Some books you admire. And then some books completely take over your brain — Carrie Soto Is Back was that for me. I started the audiobook and about 10% in I knew I needed to physically see the words on the page. I ordered the book immediately and ended up doing this perfect combo of listening and reading, which honestly made the experience even more immersive, especially the news and match commentary sections. As someone completely obsessed with tennis, I could not put this book down. What I loved most is that this isn’t just a comeback story about records and legacy. It’s about identity, joy, grief, and learning how to be a person when the thing you’ve built your entire life around starts to shift. Carrie is intense, driven, prickly, and unapologetic, and I loved her from the very beginning. Watching her slowly let go of the noise and rediscover the pure love of playing, especially during Wimbledon, was one of those moments where you can feel everything finally clicking. Her relationship with her father, Javier, completely wrecked me. It’s sweet and complicated and formative in a way that shapes how Carrie moves through every other relationship in her life. His death was truly heartbreaking and not something I saw coming, and the way it forces Carrie to grow — not just as a player but as a human being — felt very true to who she was. Even moments like Nicki calling to say she would drop out of the US Open too showed how rivalry can exist alongside deep understanding and respect. I also really loved the slow, steady romance between Carrie and Bowe. It never felt like the center of the story, but it added so much warmth and grounding. The dynamic of Javier quietly recognizing what was happening before Carrie was ready to fully admit it, and Carrie still wanting to protect that relationship and sneak around in a way, felt quiet and genuine. The character arcs across the board felt earned. Not everyone gets the fairytale ending or the trophy, but they evolve. They choose new paths. They find meaning beyond winning. I loved that not everything wrapped up perfectly, but everyone still grew.

Taylor Jenkins Reid always gets it right with her books especially the life lessons and emotional aspect. I always feel like I can resonate with every character she writes about, especially Carrie. I loved how everything was written the games gave me chills. I loved the ending although I wish we got more on Bowe and Carrie, but her training Chan was a good full circle moment I loved it. Taylor you are definitely one of my top favorite authors. I’ll read everything you come out with.

Taylor Jenkins Reid's latest novel, "Carrie Soto is Back," serves an ace into the world of competitive tennis, challenging the narrative around ambition in women through the formidable Carrie Soto. Reid's narrative isn’t just about the drama of women’s tennis; it's a deep dive into the soul of a woman who dares to want more, and often gets it. At the core of this compelling tale is Carrie Soto, who fans of TJR already know is a powerful, confident character from her appearance in “Malibu Rising”. In this novel, Carrie is a legend. She becomes number one in the world, initially guided by her father and coach, Javier Soto, a tennis legend himself. Years later, emerging from retirement at the age of 37, Carrie returns to defend her record breaking number of Grand Slam titles. Her quest is more than a battle on the court; it's an introspective journey that gets into Carrie’s “head game” and into the very heart of success itself. Reid skillfully crafts a tale that prompts us to question the very fabric of achievement and the personal cost of greatness. She also gives us glimpses into male perceptions of ambition in women, perceptions that are often shown to be negative and sometimes outright reprehensible. Carrie Soto's character is a REVELATION! Initially, in the first half of the novel, I found Carrie to be unlikable, and my impressions of her were more negative than positive. However, as the story progressed into the novel’s second half, my perceptions shifted dramatically. Reid's crisp prose, delivered in Carrie's own voice, revealed the complexities of the ambition that motivated and defined her. My heart also softened for Carrie as I saw her become more open and vulnerable in her interactions with her father, her lover, and her best friend and agent. I was THOROUGHLY CAPTIVATED by Reid’s adept narration of the tennis matches throughout the novel that added an electrifying layer to the story, making the tension and thrill of the sport leap off the page, engaging even myself who had no prior interest in tennis. The novel is not without its humor. At one point, Carrie receives a gift from her rival, Nicki Chan. Nicki says it's a "declaration of war. Fun, right?" Loved it! Oh, does Mick Riva make an appearance? I'm really not one to say... But don't think the novel does not deeply explore serious and complex issues. It does. Big time. Issues such as sexism, grief, success and vulnerability, among many others. While the novel is AMAZING, I thought the conclusion was somewhat rushed, with major events and emotional developments quickly resolved to meet the narrative's timeline. I felt this slightly undermined the depth of Carrie's transformation, and it left me wishing for more time to explore and believe in her emotional journey. Overall, "Carrie Soto is Back" is an enthralling tale of what it means to be triumphant in sports and in life. Taylor Jenkins Reid delivers a narrative brimming with suspense, emotion, and a powerful message about what happens when women (and also men) dare to strive for what is possible. It is a story about overcoming oneself, but also one about family, relationships and finding joy. This novel is a must-read for anyone captivated by stories of personal triumph and the intricate dynamics of the human spirit. Break point. The match goes to Reid!

The only other TJR novel I’ve read was one that thoroughly stunned me—DAISY JONES AND THE SIX. Reid captured the time period, the rock scene, and the characters with so much heart and authenticity that I was open and ready to read another of her works. But tennis? It wasn’t until I scanned some reviews that specifically stated that you don’t need to understand tennis to enjoy this book that I decided to go for it. And they were right! CARRIE SOTO is a smashing character in a champion story. In CARRIE SOTO, tennis is primary, but also the volley for TJR’s themes about the human condition. And Carrie Soto is so vivid, intense, and fully dimensional—known in the tennis world as the Battle Axe-- that she lived in my home and in my heart on every page. In fact, I even dreamt about her, she was that pressed into my literary soul. Carrie is single-minded, merciless when it comes to the court. Her unyielding nature, however, has its pitfalls; her personal life is the love you only get in tennis. It's 1994, and Carrie is 37, retired for six years. Still single, she trusts nobody enough to get close to but her agent, Gwen, and her father, Javier, who raised her himself (her mother died when she was very young). In his home country of Argentina, Javier made quite a splash in tennis until he was injured. He turned to coaching his daughter. He started teaching her the game when she turned two. Carrie is tightly coiled and at arm’s length from the rest of the human race. Her solitary life leaves little room for laughter. Soto was a ten-time Wimbledon champ and winner of more Slams than any other woman in history—until the new It-girl Nicki Chan surpasses Carrie’s Slam record in ‘94. Carrie decides to go back into the game to defend her record and show that she’s still the world’s best tennis player. The novel gradually fills in the background time gaps so that the reader pieces together what makes Carrie tick. A tennis phenom, she was also a walking time bomb—I kept waiting for the inevitable explosion. I did learn intriguing tennis facts that I ate up despite my indifference to the sport itself. Reid has an exciting way of revealing the game without boring the reader. And the sport is also a metaphor for Carrie’s drive, her spirit, her priorities, and her sense of self and self-esteem. As the competitive drive consumes Carrie, it absorbed me, too. Her obsessive nature was in her DNA. “I’m back at war, after years of not knowing how to live during peacetime. This is the only place where I make sense to myself.” Tennis was all that Carrie lived for. Reid created a stark character that the reader, by turns, dares to understand and occasionally wants to tromp. Soto’s fanaticism is also what defines her, and binds her and inevitably can blind her. She guards her emotions and steers her life away from others. Training and competing means meeting the world at large—but on whose terms? Do expect some untranslated Spanish—but these days we have google translate to make it easier, and it doesn’t distract, but rather adds to the novel. TJR is a genius in welcoming readers like me, who know squat about tennis but is captivated by the story of what it means to be human—flawed, expectant, hopeful, scared, and served with a beating heart. 4.5

Riveting, emotional, and hilariously snarky! This read will keep you on the edge of your seat like you are at the match!

It was fine. I finished it, but it was a lot of sports-talk that just wasn’t my jam. No big surprises or twists. Just a regular story

This book was riveting! I couldn't put it down. I was hooked immediately and didn't want it to end. What a beautiful father/daughter story. I loved it!

Really loving Taylor Jenkins Reid novels this summer! This book was engaging from the start and really enjoyable to read.

Another hit for TJR

Har kritvita sidor vilket inte riktigt förväntades och gör det lite små jobbigt att läsa

Adoro Taylor Jenkins Reid e avendo già letto diversi suoi libri ho deciso di continuare con Carrie Soto, soprattutto dopo aver letto Malibu Rising. Il libro è scorrevole, è piacevole da leggere per chi segue il tennis, ma anche per chi non è appassionato. A me è piaciuto molto e consiglio per chi ha amato anche gli altri libri dell'autrice.

Excelente novela que todos deberían de leer

There’s something magical about the way TJR writes her books which is why I knew I’d love and enjoy reading every single page of this one too. I’m not much into sports but something about the way this was written had me anticipating to see what would happen in every match. I love the bond between Carrie and her father and although they were both not perfect in any way, their love for tennis and each other had me bawling my eyes out a few times. I also love how Carrie’s agent, Gwen, could see past the defenses Carrie builds around herself and how she stood by her through thick and thin. Also, love the way the relationship between Carrie and Bowe developed and how all these people were there for her to encourage and support her when she lost the one person who had always been there for her. Lastly, I love how, towards the end, Carrie came to realise the love she has for the sport, the one thing her dad had always wanted for her- to have fun while playing.