I absolutely loved Carrie Soto's mentions in Malibu Rising and knew I wanted to hear more about her. This book was perfect, it was intense, informative, thoroughly enjoyable and one of my favourite reads this year!

Like all the recent TJR books, there is a connection to the author’s previous books. This one is connected to Malibu Rising, as we meet Carrie again, who was quite dislikable in the previous book. However, when you get to know the real Carrie you can’t help but like her. Due to her past and commitment to tennis, she doesn’t let the people around her in easy. As everyone character follows a story arc, you can guess where this one is going.

I’m really not a sports fan, so I didn’t enjoy all the tennis talk, Which if found myself skim reading, but if you love tennis, then you will enjoy it. What I did like was the relationships that grew and evolved around Carrie as she began to realise that there is more to life than tennis. Ambition and sheer determination may bring you fame but it won’t bring you happiness. You literally watch Carrie mature in front of your eyes.

This books reflects how constantly our lives change as we grow older and as a reader you witness Carrie learning to accept that. Change is constant - that is the only thing you can rely on.

I’m very impressed how TJR can write about such different subjects. Who knew tennis would be her thing?

A great read but not as fabulous as Evelyn Hugo.

Thanks to @netgalley & @penguinrandomhouse for this review copy

Wow, this long anticipated read certainly does not disappoint! The female protagonist is strong willed and ambitious and you can’t help but care for her on her plight to win one last tournament while also looking for her happy ending with a romantic interest.

This story makes me want to learn how to play tennis, whilst also reminding me I might be far too old to do so, despite being only 30! Carrie is a likeable character despite first coming across as cold and abrupt. She is focussed on her training and determined to make her father proud of her. It’s a great tale about what motivates us to succeed and work harder to better ourselves. I found it exhausting to read about her physical training and got sucked into the story, absolutely could not put it down. I’d recommend this to any of my students interested in motivation, psychology and sports.

If you love tennis or any type of competitive sport this is definitely something for you. Having played tennis myself this was a wonderful reminder of what it takes to be a successful player. All the strategies that you work out beforehand on how to outwit your opponent, how to read the game, how to read the court etc.

The story is very well written and the book had me on the edge of my seat. At times it felt like I was watching a live tennis match and I found myself holding my breath and willing Carrie on to be ruthless!

At nearly 37 Carrie Soto has to watch Nicki Chan equal her record of 20 grand slam singles titles. a Record that was set 7 years before. From a very early age, her dad told her that she will be the best tennis player the world has ever seen but now that light seems to dim a bit.
"Having someone on this planet who is as good as me -or better- means I have not achieved my goals"
The only thing left for Carrie to do is to make a comeback, fight her way back to winning one more title, and show the world that Carrie Soto was and will be the best tennis player in history. Is this a bridge too far or is there 1 more title in her?

As a side note if you don't know anything about tennis this is also a great way to learn about the game and about the effort and dedication top players must put in to be the best. And how ironic is it that the book comes out at the same time as two of the biggest tennis players the world has ever seen both decide to retire?

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

I think Carrie Soto is Back may be my new favourite TJR book. As a tennis kid (I played for nine years. AND share a love of the sport with my father), there was absolutely no way I wouldn't connect with a father-daughter tennis story. Throw a fierce female character on top of that? Gold.

I really loved Soto's coldness, ambition, and drive to win. Her critiques of women's tennis, and female athletics in general, are so spot-on - one of my favourite scenes in this book is simply two women talking about the double standards in women's sports. She's the perfect vehicle to explore and address these issues. I find that sometimes Reid can be a little weak when it comes to secondary characters, but this was not the case in Carrie Soto is Back. From her father to Bowe, to her agent to Nikki Chan, Carrie is surrounded by contrasting characters that compliment her personality and her story so well.

Although the book is incredibly tennis-heavy, I really think that people who don't have a love of or familiarity with the sport will still enjoy the tension, the strategy, and the joys of the games as Carrie fights to defend her title. Carrie Soto is Back is the perfect book to dive into, especially if you want something compelling enough to read in one sitting.

This book….. i wanted to love it. I was desperate to love it after how much i loved Evelyn Hugo.

But it just didnt hit the same. TJR’s writing is as easy as ever to read, but it was just ALOT of tennis. If you like a plot heavy book, this isnt the one for you.

I found, ironically, that the best character in here was Carrie’s dad. You really get a sense of his character and everything he has been through.

For alot of people, this will be a perfect end to TJR’s writing in this world… but it missed the mark for me.

I have read a number of TJR books and have never been disappointed. TJR is an auto buy author for me as I love all of her work however, when I seen this book was about Tennis I was unsure whether or not I would enjoy it. Oh how I was wrong. This book has everything you need, its emotional and its gripping and the characters are so well written.

Carrie Soto is a one of the best tennis players in the world. A record breaker, smashing expectations and setting an example to all the world of what it is to be the greatest. Or at least she use to be, until a knee injury forced her to retire in the 1980s. Six years later she watches as a fresh new talent rises to take her records, her history, so she decides to make history all over again and return to the circuit to retake her title. No one gets the better of Carrie Soto.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is back to her best here, writing a story that both captivates and excites. I'm not a fan of tennis at all, yet she managed to not only make me want to watch the game but also feel the tension in every swing and feel the ground beneath Carrie's feet. The rush of an ace, the hand thrust of a win. I felt it all with Carrie, and I was willing her on at every step.

I lived that Carrie was so determined, so single minded. Tennis is her one and only love, nothing else compares. She's so hard on herself that she comes across as this emotionless statue who doesn't mix well with others, but to herself she's just trying to prove that she's the best and she deserves what she has and should be recognised for it. Nothing else matters. Relationships don't matter. Nothing is as important as tennis. Her relationship with her father is incredibly complicated. They have a shared passion for this game, a shared determination and they don't mind telling each other how it is. But Carrie has a drive like no other, and it's something that not even Javier can compete with in her yout. Coming back into the circuit leaves Carrie open and vulnerable, and Javier (and later Bowe) take the time to get Carrie to see that there's more to life than winning.

As always I also loved the writing. Certain lines in this made me pause and reread them several times, such as Bowe talking to Carrie in Spanish about being imperfect, Carrie recognising the importance of experience and being 37. The little Easter eggs scattered throughout of character names from previous novels. There's just something quite lovely about writing that speaks to you on a personal level, and I definitely think Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing does that for me.

Highly recommend, even if you don't think sports are your thing, the writing and characterisation are superb.

Undecided between 3,75 and 4/5 stars.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of those authors who will never disappoint. Will I like some of her books more than others? Absolutely. But will I still enjoy myself and fly through her novels thanks to her exquisite writing? Once more; absolutely.

I’m not going to lie, I’ve never watched or played tennis so a big part of the book was lost on me - all the technical terms just flew right over my head. But I still got that thrill reading through the matches and training that Carrie goes through because Reid has that knack for making you care and excited about stuff you wouldn’t normally care about.

I loved the characters and how flawed they are, and I loved their relationships and growth. And this book definitely confirms for me that Reid’s strength lies in her characters.

Not everyone is going to like this book and I didn’t like it as much as some of her others (Daisy Jones & the Six, forever in my heart) but I’m still really glad I read it and I will continue to read everything she releases.

I wouldn't recommend reading this unless you really like tennis or have read Malibu Rising. I am not into tennis and didn't realise it was part of a 'universe'. I couldn't get into it at all sadly. I was a bit meh about it.

I'm going to read Malibu Rising and maybe try again and hope I engage with it a bit more then.

Through sheer determination, single mindedness and the relentless pursuit of her goal Carrie Soto rose to fame as one of the world’s most legendary tennis players. Now, six years after retirement, she intends to make a comeback and win back her title back from Nikki Chan, who is dominating the tennis scene at the moment.

Carrie Soto is Back is an amazing read, highly entertaining and packed with complex characters and relationships. I adore Taylor Jenkin’s Reid’s novels and have not come across one yet that I did not enjoy. She has a wonderful way of creating characters and stories that resonate with the reader. Carrie is a remarkable character as is Javier, her father and coach, also know as the ‘Jaguar’. Their relationship and complete love and devotion to one another is lovely to read about.

This is a brilliant comeback story and I was rooting for Carrie throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed following her return to competition, her gruelling training sessions with her father and the blossoming romance with Bowe. The story itself is heavy on the sport of tennis, but you will love it whether you like tennis or not. The author can evidently write about any topic and make it appear interesting and every one of her novels I have read so far has been unique and had it’s own special qualities.

This is definitely a book not to miss with the amazing storyline, characters and superb writing.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC.

Carrie Soto has dominated women’s tennis for years and retires holding numerous records but now a new player, British star Nikki Chan, is about to break her record of the most grand-slam titles and Carrie wants it back. The American player, who was first introduced in a small role in Taylor Jenkins Reid’s previous novel Malibu Rising (it’s not necessary to have read it though), decides to come out of retirement, at the age of 37 after six years away, for one last season and a chance to win another grand slam. The book covers Carrie’s whole career, with focus on her relationship with her father and coach, Javier. It also looks at the perceptions of her fierce need to win at all cost that leads to her nickname the Battle Axe and the impact her pursuit of greatness has on her and the few who are close to her. It's wonderful to have a woman main character in a sports-related novel but in the end for me it felt like there’s a touch too much blow-by-blow tennis coverage. It eventually starts to slow down the characters’ development and distracts rather than adds to the story. That said, it’s still an enjoyable read with interesting characters who may not all be likeable, but you are still rooting for them.

I loved this story! Carrie Soto has so many levels to her character which I really enjoyed. The storyline engaging and kept you wanting to know more about this world that Taylor Jenkins Reid has created. Thank you NetGalley!

After listening to Seven Husband’s I was excited to get on with Carrie Soto. I love that the books are so different and the author really seems to chuck herself into her storylines.

The books charts the Carrie Soto’s return to tennis after retirement. Her relationship with her father made me experience all sorts of emotions. Story moves along at a great pace drawing the reader in. You’ll find yourself rooting for Soto.

One of my fav books this year

I was a little on the fence with this one because while I love TJR, I’m not big on sports but as I soon found out, that didn’t even matter. Carrie Soto is an ambitious, powerhouse of a player and her grit and determination was fascinating to read about. It was so refreshing to read a character who is so unapologetically and authentically herself. She was 100% flawed, of course. But, her dedication to her passion and her tunnel vision in wanting to be nothing short of the best made for great character development. And you know I’m here for that.

While the main plot was enough to sustain my interest, there was a lot going on beneath it too. Sexism in tennis? Boom. The price of ambition? Boom. A loving, yet tricky father-daughter relationship? Boom.

TJR has delivered, yet again.

I'm not sue how she does it, but every book I've read of Taylor Jenkins Reid has been a 5 star read. Her character and world building is amazing - I've never been into tennis but Carrie Soto has made me want to learn all about it!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Let me start this review by saying this is my second TJR book and I absolutely loved it. There’s something special about Reid’s novels that has you hooked from the very beginning which is not an easy skill to hone. Even though her writing style does not carry heavy pretentious prose, it is beautiful and direct; easy to follow with a smooth flow. I never thought I’d be interested in a book about tennis, but here we are; Reid knows what she’s talking about and it shows through her text (fyi: there’s a lot of tennis talk in this book).

Furthermore, it’s very rare to see books exploring the father-daughter relationship, and if they do it’s very rare to witness one in a positive light. Javier — I’m at a loss for words. I loved his bond with Carrie, his efforts not only to drive his ambitious daughter to the top, but to help her understand and live in the beauty of the game she dominates. I was on the verge of tears when Reid made Javier use terms of endearments (I almost cried when he called her ‘my heart’) to call upon Carrie. It was beautiful and pulled on my heart strings. All in all, the father-daughter bond that goes from “I want to make you proud. I want to be the best for you,” to “I need more than you can give me, tell me I’m the best, make me the best even if it hurts me,” to finally, “I understand what you wanted for me, I understand what I need, but you’re not here anymore, but I understand you wanted me to be happy, win or lose,” is one of the most beautiful storyline’s I’ve seen.

As for the characters, Carrie Soto is a complex person.
She’s a high achiever, an unbeatable athlete, a b*tch at times, a scared child with a closed heart, a woman trying her best to better, a role model, and an inspiration (also I’m sure she’s an INTJ). It’s easy to see parts of yourself in her and that’s what I think is special about Reid’s characters — they are human, fleshed out.

Overall, I can go on and on about this book, but to simply put it out there, this was beautiful. The themes that engulfed this novel — athleticism, family, love, ambition, courage, loneliness, the challenges women face in male dominated industries, especially as they age, were intrinsic and honest. I particularly liked how Reid showed how powerful women who knows their worth are perceived as arrogant and a b*tch by the world for not bowing their heads and for not acting the way they want them to, how women have to run twice the distance to be given an ounce of the respect that men receive, particularly in sports. I highly recommend this to anyone that’s looking for swift read that will keep you in your toes.

Carrie Soto is Back

I am not sure I ever have or ever will be more grateful to have received an arc than I was when I received this one. I am completely and utterly in AWE of Taylor Jenkins-Reid. Her writing style, her characters the way she has built this dynasty of celebrities all living in the same time period is just incredible.

Carrie Soto did NOT disappoint. And wow this book reads like the most fast paced edge of your seat tie breaker Wimbledon final you ever did see.

Let’s start off with Carrie herself. I LOVED her. She was every inch the competitive argumentative says it like it is resting bitch face sports star I wanted her to be. She was refreshingly angry and her growth throughout the novel was a thing of beauty.

The way TJR has written this book is exceptional - I found myself racing though the chapters desperate to see what lay ahead for Carrie, each sentence a point, each page a game and each chapter a set.

Of course we had an all star cast featuring some familiar faces from TJR’s other books. And as you all probably know by now the TJR multiverse is my favourite thing ever! Also I have a theory about who the next TJR book will be about so when you’ve read it let’s discuss!

Honestly if TJR isn’t an auto buy author for you I’m just not sure we can be friends anymore! Carrie Soto is Back is out on 30th August so RUN and don’t walk to your nearest bookshop and devour this book just like I did!

The easiest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I have ever given and I would give more if I could!

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. The synopsis made me a bit sceptical and I wasn't sure it would be my cup of tea. I loved the look into the tennis world. Carrie's story growing up and going after what she wanted is really inspiring. Her Father was a true rock, although pushing her at such a young age could have had devastating consequences. Carrie's story was great but her character was so hard to love. She seemed spoiled and aggressive, which is probably your right if your striving to be the best tennis player of all time. A really good close off and an easy read made it very entertaining.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House UK for this ARC.