Carrie Soto is a 37 year old retired tennis pro, and she is planning to make a comeback out of retirement to her tennis career although she isn’t in the best form.

Coached by her father, Xavier, he has been the constant in her life since the death of her mother. This follows her life as a youngster to now.

If you love tennis then this one is for you. It’s a perfect summer read and will appeal to many but lacked something to make it a five star for me.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

So excited to get an advance copy of this book so huge thanks to Net Galley and Random House

Like many people, I have read and loved TJRs books. However this one did not hit the mark for me.

I like tennis but this was really tennis heavy at the expense of the development of the character. We don’t really get to see Carrie develop as a person until the final quarter of the book and really up until that point she is a pretty unlikeable person so it is hard to connect with her.

The storyline is quite predictable too both on and off the court. The use of Spanish without any translation or explanation got really annoying and I found myself just skipping these sections.

I am sure I will be among the minority here but sadly this was not the ace I expected it to be.

A highly enjoyable read which is perfect for the summer. Carrie is a multifaceted character, and although the plot was a little predictable at times, I really was rooting for her and loved the relationship between her and her father Javier. The book explores sexism in sport too and opens your eyes to the kinds of pressures female athletes, and women more generally, face, and how little things have moved on since the 80s and 90s.
I came out of the book feeling stronger, and it won't be a book I forget in a hurry.

This was a great read, perfect for over Wimbledon time! You really grow with Carrie, understand her "battle axe" self and her urge to retain greatness. I loved the glimpse into elite sports and the tennis descriptions were engaging, not dull. Fantastic!

I am a huge TJR fan and was so thrilled to get the opportunity to read Carrie Soto is Back. I love all of TJR's back catalogue and felt that her last novel, Malibu Rising, was one of her best.
Carrie Soto has been retired from tennis for 6 years but after leaving the game when she was ranked as world number 1 she makes a comeback to play in all 4 grand slams to regain her grand slam record.
Although I've watched a bit of tennis over the years, I'm not a huge fan so I wondered how the author would keep me interested in a novel about a tennis player. Well , she does this with her excellent writing, characterisation and yet another portrayal of a strong woman that I really rooted for throughout the novel.
Carrie is not a particularly likeable character, she makes no effort to be liked by fans or the media and is labelled by the media as the Battle Axe (and much worse). However by giving us Carrie's back story- the death of her mother when she was a small child and the development of her relationship with her father and coach, Javier- the author helps us to understand Carrie. She also shines a light on the way ambitious and strong women are are so negatively portrayed in the tennis world (and of course society in general) in comparison to their male counterparts.
I felt that Carrie's relationship with her father was the main strength of the novel and also enjoyed the relationship she has with Bowe, another retired tennis player who is making a comeback.
I loved the nod to characters from Malibu Rising and there was even a mention of Daisy Jones and the Six.
TJR has once again written an absorbing novel that completely transported me to the tennis world of the 80s and 90s. Highly recommended.

Like always, I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to read and review this book in advance of publication. I don't think I've ever squealed so much when the email came through though! What an absolute treat to read this during Wimbledon, in my house in Wimbledon! I didn't know anything about the book going in, other than trusting the author, so that was pure coincidence. I read the whole book in a weekend. It felt short but when I looked it up on Waterstones, turns out the physical copy has a whopping 384 pages! The ebook wasn't split into chapters or breaks and I'm looking forward to seeing that in the physical book - I understand this is common with proof copies but in this instance I found it did affect the read (in particular when Javier collapsed on the plane).

Carrie Soto is an elite tennis player, the daughter of Javier Soto, an elite tennis player before her and now her coach. Having dominated the scene for years, a knee injury forces Carrie into retirement. She's never really lost her love for the sport, in part due to the bond with her dad, and in her thirties decides to go for one last chance at success. But can she recreate the success from her hey-day?

An easy read and perfect for summer, Carrie Soto is Back certainly won't disappoint fans of TJR. She's such a great author with a definite talent for consistently keeping readers engaged. The book is very heavily focused on tennis and is very well researched. If you're not a tennis fan, you might just find yourself watching a game or two after reading this, as TJR really brings the spirit of a match alive.

I appreciated Carrie went on a whole journey throughout the book but did find her character a little one dimensional. She's flawed and she's not a likeable character but she's out to win, not to make friends. It would however have been nice to see a softer side to her. Nobody has only one personality trait and everyone changes throughout the years. In contrast, I found Javier's character much more interesting, and of course the dynamic between the two of them, which I really loved.
I adored the transcripts of the commentary and newspaper articles, this is something we've seen before in her books and TJR excels at.
Another thing I appreciated, which is another running theme through this author's books, is the way women and sexism in the public eye are represented throughout the eras. We started with Evelyn Hugo and her relationships in the 60s, Daisy Jones as a front woman of a band in the 70s, surfer/model Nina Riva in the 80s and now Carrie Soto. Each book has spanned decades and demonstrates how women are presented in the media changed over the years.
The reference to Mick Riva was there, as expected; it didn't feature heavily but a nice touch for fans of the author.

I've already recommended this book to basically everyone I know and looking forward to whatever she writes next!

I loved the characterisation in this book. I disliked Carrie Soto, but at the same time I wanted her to do well, I wanted her to have friends and I wanted her to find live, but she was not approachable or likeable. Such a good story and I don’t even like tennis! Read it, you won’t be disappointed.

This is the fourth book I have read by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and yet again I can not praise it enough. TJR is fast becoming my go to writer. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing and TJR for giving me the chance to read this ARC of Carrie Soto Is Back.

FROM THE COVER 📖📖📖

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular.

By the time Carrie retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Slam titles. And if you ask her, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father 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, British 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 says that they never liked the 'Battle-Axe' anyway. Even if her body doesn't move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all: Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells a story about the cost of greatness and a legendary athlete attempting a comeback.


REVIEW🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾


This novel is told in first POV, Carrie, along side newspaper articles, tv commentary and press interviews. The first POV is a new way of writing compared to the previous books which has always had multiply first POV or third POV as well as the quirky elements like the newspaper cuttings. I thought with Carrie’s story this first POV worked brilliantly you really got a sense of how she was and got right into the mind of a elite sports person. It was a real insight and very well written, the parts describing the tennis matches made me feel I was on centre court sweating along side Carrie.

The tennis games, as they were described in short, snappy sentences made the excerpts feel unpredictable and exciting. Am not a big fan of tennis by no means so please don’t be put off by all the tennis chat it really adds to the story and Carrie as a character. I read this during Wimbledon and for the first time I felt I could follow the games I was watching as TJR made the game come alive in the book, I found it easier to understand and made the real life tennis players and game more interesting.


I loved how we heard the backstory of Carrie’s rise to become a sporting great, the build up to games and the games themselves all in Carrie’s own words. The book is structured that the first part is Carrie in retirement watching a game that makes her decide she is not done with professional tennis then we hear the childhood and adolescence of Carrie and how she approached the world of tennis and how hard she worked to get to the top of her game ,then the novel returns to the present and follows her life both on the court and private as she returns to professional tennis and the public eye.



Carrie like Reid’s other lead characters, is not a perfect heroine. She is flawed, and makes wrong choices, says the wrongs I always find is a refreshing aspect to Reid’s books that make her characters human. Carrie is such a breath of fresh air in comparison to lot of female leads we read about she is unapologetically herself and at times this make her unlikable but there is no deny she is a great character that is to be admired.

The supporting cast was just as fantastic. Everyone was so well-developed and had good arcs, even the most minor felt well written, I would love to hear Gwen’s story in the next book. One of the truly clever and marvellous thing TJR has done throughout her novels is blend them into each other she has created a whole world spanning time and place, we actually first heard of Carrie in Malibu Rising and in this novel Carrie’s is a big Daisy Jones and Six fan. However you don’t have to have read the other books to fully understand any of the stories they can all be read as standalone, this blending is just a subtle quick that shows what a good writer the author is.

TJR gives her readers an insight to the world celebrity, she creates icons that could easy be real life celebrities I love this aspect to her writing but what I really love is among the glitz and glam lays a true character lead story that explores so much more than the glamour. She is a class act at subtly addressing important topics and issues and she beautifully writes the relationships between her characters,and the evolution of them.

Taylor Jenkins Reid truly is a master at creating characters and worlds which feel completely real and relevant in todays society despite being set in mainly in the 80/90’s. She explores many topical and timeless issues explores such as sexism, the impossible and double standards that women are held up to, the pressures of fame, The exploration of how women are perceived in sport(This can be seen in the articles and interviews presented throughout the book. It was a subtle but powerful way to show the disparity in the treatment of women and men, you only have to watch the recent Wimbledon to see that is still such a relevant issue in todays world) the issue of race in sports and misogyny. I think this book contains one of all time favourite quotes

“WE LIVE IN A WORD WHERE EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN HAVE TO SIT AROUND WAITING FOR MEDIOCRE MEN”

Never more relevant that it is today.

The love between Carrie and her Father, Jav, whom is also her coach is the backbone of this story, and it’s what helps the book go from a great story, to an amazing one. It is a love story of two parts the love Carrie and Father have for each other and their love of tennis. It is captured perfectly and really added true depth to the book. As previously mentioned TJR shows the evolution of that relationship as both characters age and experience life, which perfectly matches the background story of the tennis and Carrie’s other relationships, it really adds to Carrie’s character.


Carrie has a romantic relationship develop in the novel, which is very much not a typical love story . The romantic relationship between Carrie and Bowe( whom like Carrie is a older tennis player with something to prove) didn't feel forced or have
clichés or cheesy romantic bits ,it didn’t shift the power balance in favour of Bowe but allowed Carrie's character to develop without diminishing her strength and independence. It was refreshing to read about a women who didn’t loose her mind when she got laid.

For me this a rare book that is both equally good in terms of plot line and characters. TJR has interwoven a brilliant story line to show the development of a Carrie as person…. And what an interesting person she is!! As she changes in herself, her game allowing the plot to change course… fantastic writing

I was worried about the ending of the book; whether Carrie would win back her title and whether it would feel like a realistic achievement, but the ending was perfect. Then the epilogue came and it surprised me, and yet made so much sense. With no spoilers the last few chapters had me in tears of sadness and joy. This is must read!!!!

Game, Set and Match to Taylor Jenkins Reid🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾

When I requested this book I hadn’t realised it was a sequel. I therefore went back and read Malibu Rising for the first time and absolutely fell in love with the setting, the storyline and the characters and was therefore really looking forward to this.

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t what I was expecting. Carrie wasn’t a very likeable character in Malibu Rising and that continued throughout the book. I found it difficult to route for her and instead found myself loving the side characters over her. There was also a lot of tennis jargon that made it hard for a non tennis loving person to understand.

Great fun summer read
As a tennis fan I liked the detail and hearing about the games but it did become a little repetitive after a while. I wanted more from Carrie's personality and her life rather than just her frustrations from the court.
As I said a fun read which I flew threw in an afternoon in the sunshine. Not one of my favourite TJR books but one I'm sure will be equally as successful
Thank you for this copy to read and review

Another good book by Reid. Did I care about Tennis before this no. I cared whilst reading though. The writing again was great.

In books I love an unlikeable (especially female) protagonist and in sport I love an underdog so Carrie Soto, retired from tennis for 8 years and making a comeback to keep her record from being beaten, is just the perfect character. The novel does have many long descriptions of tennis matches, taken point by point, and while I found these interesting, this is probably not a great read for someone who doesn’t love tennis. It’s clearly well-researched, and I didn’t spot any obvious tennis errors but I did notice a gambling one from my years working in bookies: a BBC radio presenter saying that Cortez is favourite at Wimbledon with “betting odds” of 3 to 2. Anyone who knows sports betting knows that fraction is always inexplicably presented as 6/4. Nevertheless, it was wonderful to be back in the Taylor Jenkins Reid universe, and even better to be so immersed in a tennis book during Wimbledon.

I never thought I’d read a book about tennis, but here I am absolutely loving it. Taylor Jenkins Reid has done a brilliant job of including vivid images through her brilliant writing. Her characters are strong and fantastically written as always. She’s truly done it again, what a read!

I would struggle to be able to review this book due to issues with the file/download. The issues stopped the flow of the book. The issues are:
- Missing words in the middle of sentences
- Stop/start sentences on different lines
- No clear definition of chapters.

Not sure if it was a file/download issue but there were lots of gaps, stop/starts which really ruined the flow. I would love the chance to read a better version as the description of the book appeals to me.

I would be more than happy to re-read the book with a better file or as a physical book as the book topic and genre is of interest to me. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

I can't believe TJR invented tennis.

HOLY.CRAP. SHE'S DONE IT AGAIN. I don't even know where to start. I didn't care about Tennis, I didn't know anything about Tennis before reading this book, and now I am looking up when the next Tennis tournament is just so I can watch it and hopefully feel as on the edge of my seat as I did while reading this. I was SO excited for this book but also intrigued as to whether I'd like it as like I said, I didn't care about tennis at all. But I think that is what makes this book, and TJRs writing, even more incredible, within a couple of pages I began to truly CARE about tennis, truly and deeply.

But this book is not just about Tennis, I mean it is, but it's not, it is quite frankly the song 'The Man' by Taylor Swift in book form. From childhood Carrie has been coached, by her dad, to become the best Tennis player ever, and she does achieve that, but not without commentary from MEN about how shes cut throat and a b*tch just because she is there to win and not make friends. When the record she set is in danger of being broken she decides to come out of retirement and try to defend it. Which may not sound very exciting but I promise you I read this book in less than 12 hours and my palms were genuinely sweating near the end, I was absolutely hooked.

Another thing I love about TJRs books is that they all happen kinda in the same universe, Daisy Jones & The Six are mentioned AND GOD DAMN MICK RIVA WHO IS THIS MAN AND WHY IS HE EVERYWHERE BUT WITH HIS KIDS.

I truly absolutely loved this book and I would absolutely recommend it, especially if you love TJR and Tennis (although I can't comment on the accuracy but I have taken it as gospel so if anything is not correct I quite frankly think it real life tennis should be changed to match the book)

I will also include some of my favourite quotes below so you can get the vibe:

'Because you are not yet who you will one day be.'

'You were not born that person. You were born to become that person.'

'Maybe I was not the sort of girl who became a girlfriend at all. Maybe I was the type of girl you kissed when no one was looking and that was it.'

'The bulk of the commentators.. 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.'

'Some men's childhoods are permitted to last forever, but women are so often reminded that there is work to be done.'

'It is her right to have fun, keep playing. To not help with dinner.

'People who are actually playing the game lose. We all lose. We lose all the time. That is life.'

'WE LIVE IN A WORD WHERE EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN HAVE TO SIT AROUND WAITING FOR MEDIOCRE MEN.'

Anyway I will shut up now, I loved it though I give it a 4.5 stars but easily rounded up to 5.

Thank you so much to Netgallery, Penguin Random House and Taylor Jenkins Reid for this ARC in exchange for an honest review, it absolutely made my day when I saw I was approved for a book that was one of my most anticipated releases.

I'm a huge fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid so was really excited to get an early copy of her latest novel. Carrie Soto was a record-setting tennis player that had to stop playing due to a knee injury. At 37, she has returned to the game and to set the record as the oldest player to win the US Open. I'm not a tennis fan but this book had me completely gripped throughout and I thought it was brilliant- finished it in a day!

This book was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. So, when *that* email dropped in my inbox,
I was nervous. I was excited. I WAS READY 😂

🥎
To start with, I will say, this book is HEAVILY tennis based! So if you are already a fan, then great!
But, If like me, it hasn't really interested you before, don't let that put you off. Because once you become invested in this story, you won't want to put it down!
But yeah, fair warning, there is alot of tennis talk!

🥎
I loved how the story went right back to the beginning of Carries life when she was just young girl and we got to see just how hard she worked to become the NO.1 tennis sensation that she was. The highs and lows of her carer were fascinating, and the attention to detail was 👌.

🥎
Carrie herself was a women who knew her own mind and completely owned who she was. She was ruthless, fierce, and not always likeable.
But as with alot of TJRs FMCs, I found myself slowly falling in love with her anyway. The transition she goes through in this book made it all worth while!!

🥎
I adored the relationship between her and her father. They had a very special bond and you could feel just how much he loved her. They are not without their troubles, but you won't find a stronger connection than those two. ❤

🥎
How would i sum up this book?
Hard hitting, emotional, and very powerful in places.
Carrie Soto is a force to be reckoned with!

I haven't suddenly become a No.1 tennis fan, and I wouldn't rush out to buy more books on the sport. But what I will say is, I would read this one all over again, anytime 💚 . 4.5 STARS

I have loved everything Taylor Jenkins Reid has ever written and was desperately waiting to read Carrie Soto is back. I am a huge tennis fan so combining a TJR book with tennis is everything I could ever want!

After retiring earlier than hoped from tennis after a knee injury, Carrie Soto sees her grand slam record about to be broken. Instead of letting Nicki Chan take her record, Carrie decides to make an unexpected comeback in order to reclaim her record, playing all four grand slams. Can she win?

I flew through this book in one day. It was fast paced and gripping and I loved every word written. I was rooting for Carrie from page one and Bowe was such a great accompanying character. Did I shed a few tears? Quite possibly.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Believe the hype, Taylor Jenkins Reid writes brilliant books.
This is the first book by Jenkins Reid that I have picked up, and it won't be the last. Carrie Soto is a brilliant character and this book is fun, tense, enjoyable, well paced....the perfect summer read.
5 stars.

Six months ago, I doubt I would have picked up this book, because as much as I like TJR storytelling, I'm not interested in tennis.
Then along came a little film called King Richard.
The tennis in this book was exciting and tense, I genuinely raced through some of the pages to see who would won, because the great thing about this book I felt, was it wasn't certain Carrie would.
Some fantastic characters, not just Carrie, Bowe and Javier , but Gewn and Chan and we'll, everyone.
All described so I had no problem imagining them and their actions.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.