Name: Carrie Soto Is Back
ISBN: 9780593158685

Taylor Jenkins Reid

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. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two.

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 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 her most vulnerable, emotional story yet.

A Novel

Carrie Soto Is Back

Ausrine Blazyte

We live in a world where exceptional women have to sit around waiting for mediocre men. 

lucy lou

Kathi

Victoria

Grief is like a deep, dark hole. It calls like a siren: Come to me, lose yourself here. And you fight it and you fight it and you fight it, but when you finally do succumb and jump down into it, you can't quite believe how deep it is. It feels as if this is how you will live for the rest of you life, falling. Terrified and devastated, until you yourself die.

The fall isn't never-ending. It does have a ground floor.

 ☆RoRo☆

Rachael Bahr

You could not pay me enough money to go back to being seventeen. When I was seventeen, my talent was all potential and no proof. The world was a giant set of unknowns, barely any past to pull from.

I am so grateful, right now, for every match and every win and every loss and every lesson that I have behind me. It feels so good, right now, to be thirty-seven years old. To have figured at least some things out.

But I cannot hear anything as clearly as the sound of my own voice, begging me: Let this be enough.

One of the great injustices of this rigged world we live in is that women are considered to be depleting with age and men are somehow deepening.

Giovanna Marulli Borges 

 "Do not let what says about you determine how you feel about yourself"

No matter how good I was on the court, I was never good enough for the public.

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. AndI should never, under any circumstances, admit that I did not be- to tell or admit

“It was embarrassingly easy. I was embarrassed for her. That’s empathy.”

What a gift it is, to be able to guide someone to a point and then let them finish it themself.

Sarah Campbell

My father shakes his head with a smile. "It will never matter,” he says, "whose responsibility is what. My heart hurts when you hurt because you are my heart.”

The waitress comes by, and Bowe orders my father a drink. Dad leans over and whispers in my ear, "Nothing will ever diminish what you did and have done." I do not want to cry, so l can't really think too hard about whether I believe him. Instead, I take the moment and pin it to my heart, as if it will wait for me to come back to it later. 

When it gets late, Bowe pays the check, and my father raises his eyebrows at me — as if to pose the question that I've told him a million times not to ask. I nod: the only answer he'll get. And he looks at me and grins, a simple, bright smile. 

For a moment, I'm bowled over by just how old he looks. When did this happen? But he looks a happy old, a satisfied old. He's had a lot of heartbreak in his life, and yet there is so much he's gotten right. 

Sos mi vida, pichona, my father mouths to me. He taps a finger to his chest, right over his heart. I smile and rest my head on his shoulder for a split second. 

And then we all walk back to the hotel — a walk that feels comfortable and familiar, even though there is so much about it that is new.

 "We discussed it prior to today," Bowe says. "If that's what you're saying." My father rolls his eyes at Bowe. 

"Don't give up information that hasn't been directly requested."

When I walk off the court, my father is standing there in the tunnel, waiting for me. 

"Excelente!" he says. "Absolute perfection. You warrior, you king. 

My father smiles but says nothing. His smile grows bigger as he turns and guides me toward the locker room, and soon he's laughing. 

“What?"l ask him. "What are you thinking right now?" 

"Nothing," he says. "It's just that...this is the part I missed the most. Me and you, in the tunnel."

"Okay" I say. "Está bien." I don't say what I'm thinking. You are all I have.

I see Gwen applauding, Ali hollering. I wonder if Bowe is cheering in front of the television. 

But I do not need to imagine my father's reaction. I know he is  clapping and smiling ear to ear, for once unworried that the cameras will get an unflattering picture of him.

Pia 

I did not need to be pretty. My body was built to wage war. And thank God, because I was about to use it to crush pretty Mary-Louise Bryant.

Good question probably because it can hurt but sometimes it’s necessary to hear it even if you don’t want to

“Why is everyone so sensitive about the truth?”

I had kind of enjoyed the last book of this author. So when I found out that her next one is based primarily on Tennis I was intrigued. 

The story is fine. You can make out the end after first few chapters of the book. The character of Carrie is also fine. Unlike Soto's game in the book, the author herself doesn't take any chances with the story and "plays percentage game" with it. 

What I like was Carrie's father's role and the bond that she shared with him. It's beautifully portrayed. Extra half star for the Audiobook. The narration is well done and they have added soundbites whenever sports news/expert show is going on in the book which makes the book look more authentic.

Adwait Kulkarni

I had kind of enjoyed the last book of this author. So when I found out that her next one is based primarily on Tennis I was intrigued. 

The story is fine. You can make out the end after first few chapters of the book. The character of Carrie is also fine. Unlike Soto's game in the book, the author herself doesn't take any chances with the story and "plays percentage game" with it. 

What I like was Carrie's father's role and the bond that she shared with him. It's beautifully portrayed. Extra half star for the Audiobook. The narration is well done and they have added soundbites whenever sports news/expert show is going on in the book which makes the book look more authentic.

Chloé Dupèré

this was really really good, I think it may have tied Malibu rising with my favorite TJR book! I wa holding off reading this because I don’t know much about tennis but you really don’t have to know much, she breaks it down to super digestible pieces and I feel like I actually learned a lot from it. mostly, I love the character work in this one. I think Carrie is such a unique, funny, and inspiring voice, and I really loved the focus on the relationship with her dad and the lesser, secondary seat the romance took in the book. I would highly recommend this, especially for those who may not have been interested in TJR’s other books, because I feel like this one kind of stands separate. the writing has really leveled up too! I was super impressed!

fris🐝

NATIONAL BESTSELLER NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In this powerful novel about the cost of greatness, a legendary athlete attempts a comeback when the world considers her past her prime--from the New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising. 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. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two. 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 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 her most vulnerable, emotional story yet.

I was not expecting for Carrie’s story to hit so close to home when we couldn’t be living more different lives. I was not expecting the sporty book to be my favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid book but it quickly became it for me.  

Daniela Ramirez Madrid

this book is about tennis, which if u dont have an interest to, this might be boring at first. but, dont worry, reid explained much details about tennis so the readers can understand more. the last 100 pages were insane: the character development, the heartbreaking moments, and the heartwarming ones made me drown into it. this book has the best ending i could ask for!

almeera

Zoë Mauldin

i think i needed a book like this after fantasy, something so very human and had me in the edge of my seat even tho it wasn’t life or death, tjr the beautiful writer you are

debbie <3

'Thank you Taylor Jenkins Reid for the escapism we all need' PANDORA SYKES 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.

Emma Cragg

danakim

ok now do it again but in nicki’s perspective

it was a really good book but the ending was SO ANTI CLIMATIC 

sophie bastow

Kaitlin Slaughter

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “An epic adventure about a female athlete perhaps past her prime, brought back to the tennis court for one last grand slam” (Elle), from the author of Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo “A heart-filled novel about an iconic and persevering father and daughter.”—Time “Gorgeous. The kind of sharp, smart, potent book you have to set aside every few pages just to catch your breath. I’ll take a piece of Carrie Soto forward with me in life and be a little better for it.”—Emily Henry, author of Book Lovers and Beach Read ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Time, NPR, PopSugar, Glamour, Reader’s Digest 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. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two. 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 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 her most vulnerable, emotional story yet.

Bria

Idk this just didn’t do it for me like her other books

Loved it quick read! I like the structure of it, made it move along in a seamless way.

Grace Hevey 

Elisavet Rozaki 

Evelyn and Daisy Jones are two of my favorite books and I expected so much more from TJR. I caught myself skipping paragraphs. Also as someone who doesn't understand spanish, the constant use of the language was too much.

taylor jenkins reid you are a master of storytelling

ame 

Sarah

TJR est la seule personne de la terre à me donner de l’intérêt pour le tennis.
Je pensais vraiment pas m’attacher à Carrie avec le début du livre + son back ground dans Malibu Rising
J’ai pleuré, beaucoup. J’ai été très touché surtout par toutes les thématiques abordées. J’étais happé par les tournois et les enjeux autour de la carrière de Carrie. Encore un sans faute pour moi. 
Merci Taylor

this is a re-read and i blazed through it. it’s such a bittersweet read- i love carrie’s character development throughout and I always cry at the ending.

Daphne Li-Chen

Teresa Bonifácio

** spoiler alert **
           What a book! 
I started disliking Carrie and I ended up loving her! She grew so much during this book. More than wanting her to win I started to want her to see herself how her father and Bowe saw her. 
I cried so much in the end. I felt her pain. And when she sees Bowe reading the book and in the bathtub? She realises that he is suffering as well. He also loved Javier. 
This is the best book of TJR by far.

aleksandra

4.5/5

How much do I love reading about confident women who know what they want and won't stop until they get it? I fucking love it. I like all the women written by Taylor Jenkins Reid, how could I not when they are all strong and unique individuals, but Carrie Soto will probably be one of my favorites.


  
    "Well, guess what, Carrie? People who are actually playing the game lose. We all lose. We lose all the time. That is life."

"They cannot stop you. And they don’t get to decide what your name is. Carrie Soto is back.”
  


I never thought I'd like a book about tennis, but here we are, I adore it. Maybe a little spoiler, but this is my first TJR book with a happy ending. At least one that would almost fully satisfy me. 

Reading about Carrie and her father's relationship made me cry in some scenes. They had such a beautiful bond. Plus Bowe deserves everything, he was so sweet and I wish there was at least one more chapter about him and Carrie at the end.

Isabella 

OH GOD. I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!! at first, i was kinda not invested in it because i dont know anything about tennis?? and i kinda have a grudge on her (view spoiler)[bc i love nina so much (hide spoiler)] but oh my god this is amazing. TRULY AMAZING. i was captivated by the writing; i could clearly imagine every game on my mind. it's such a fascinating journey to read. carrie is such a complex character, but i feel for her. i truly do. she's someone you would either hate or love. i also loved the father-daughter dynamic carrie and javier had. they make me emotional. i want to see this turn into a series or movie. i loved this so much.

It was in Malibu: August, 1983, at Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, where I first met Carrie Soto.(Malibu Rising) My first impression of her was not a very pleasant one. She was fierce and savage and everything wild. From that Carrie to the Carrie at the end of the book , "Carrie Soto Is Back" , I find a great transformation and I find that her character development has been nicely portrayed. It's fascinating how characters can evolve throughout a story. And now I feel like a proud mama !

"Carrie Soto Is Back" goes beyond the mere comeback of a remarkable tennis player. It intricately weaves themes of personal growth, family bonds, self-determination, and love throughout its narrative. From the outset to the conclusion, I found every aspect of the book captivating. As an admirer of Taylor Jenkins Reid's writings,  I would say this book is a hit. If you haven't read this yet , go give this a try. 

Senali Senanayake 

It was in Malibu: August, 1983, at Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, where I first met Carrie Soto.(Malibu Rising) My first impression of her was not a very pleasant one. She was fierce and savage and everything wild. From that Carrie to the Carrie at the end of the book , "Carrie Soto Is Back" , I find a great transformation and I find that her character development has been nicely portrayed. It's fascinating how characters can evolve throughout a story. And now I feel like a proud mama !

"Carrie Soto Is Back" goes beyond the mere comeback of a remarkable tennis player. It intricately weaves themes of personal growth, family bonds, self-determination, and love throughout its narrative. From the outset to the conclusion, I found every aspect of the book captivating. As an admirer of Taylor Jenkins Reid's writings,  I would say this book is a hit. If you haven't read this yet , go give this a try. 



Es ist nicht mein Lieblingsbuch von TJR, aber es ist GUT. Ich liebe Taylors Schreibstil einfach und das hat sie auch hier wieder wunderbar bewiesen. Ich muss zugeben, dass ich zu Carries Ehrgeiz vielleicht ein wenig zu gut relaten konnte. Ich shippe Carrie Soto auch mehr mit Nicki Chan als mit Bowe. Obwohl Bowe sehr nett ist, da war ich ganz überrascht auch mal respektvolle Männer in TJRs Bücher zu finden. Als ihr toxic-toller Vater gestorben ist, hätte ich beinahe angefangen zu heulen. Und jedes Mal als sie verloren hat, auch. Frustrierend.

Jack O‘Conner

Es ist nicht mein Lieblingsbuch von TJR, aber es ist GUT. Ich liebe Taylors Schreibstil einfach und das hat sie auch hier wieder wunderbar bewiesen. Ich muss zugeben, dass ich zu Carries Ehrgeiz vielleicht ein wenig zu gut relaten konnte. Ich shippe Carrie Soto auch mehr mit Nicki Chan als mit Bowe. Obwohl Bowe sehr nett ist, da war ich ganz überrascht auch mal respektvolle Männer in TJRs Bücher zu finden. Als ihr toxic-toller Vater gestorben ist, hätte ich beinahe angefangen zu heulen. Und jedes Mal als sie verloren hat, auch. Frustrierend.

Hach, ich liebe Taylor Jenkins Reid

Tennis fluff. Entertaining. Carrie Soto is a bit annoying with her whole desperation to win as a personality, but I still enjoyed following her ride.

Katelyn Caillouet

I love TJR. So sad for this universe to end 😭 loved Carrie in this book Malibu rising was a different story.

Javier Soro has my heart and I cried when he died. Read this book in one sitting.

Katie Roberts

I love TJR. So sad for this universe to end 😭 loved Carrie in this book Malibu rising was a different story.

Javier Soro has my heart and I cried when he died. Read this book in one sitting.



Carrie Soto Is Back A Novel