Reviews with content warning for Cancer - Carrie Soto Is Back

This one took me a longer time to get into than her other books. Maybe it was the mostly unlikable main character? Or that I'm not super into tennis? But by about halfway through it got me. I was up until 2am finishing this. I don't think any of her other books have made me emotional, but I was really emotional during a later part in this one! And for a long time too. I honestly didn't think I'd end up enjoying it as much as her previous works, but I did in the end.

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soobooksalot's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What do I know about tennis? Little to nothing. I'm not even a sports person.
But as with her previous books, Taylor Jenkins Reid takes characters in their areas of fame and makes you care about their experiences. About their world and everyone around them, like we are in the know.
Much like Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones and Nina Riva; Carrie Soto is a formidable and unforgettable main character.
I adored Carrie Soto Is Back. I adore how TJR rewards her loyal readers with associations to her other books. I adore being in the world of her books, the uniquely vibrant places they are, and references of the time.
Absolutely recommended!

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mysterymom40's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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genny's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Huh, I'm surprised by how much I ended up liking this. Nothing about this was surprising - around 20% in, I wrote down my predictions for the plot in my reading journal, and I was pretty spot on. This was my note:

"After coming out of retirement, Carrie is going to get win after win (after a grueling re-training montage and some early losses, maybe) and then realize it was all for nothing and that winning doesn't equate to happiness. Maybe her dad dies."

Oof. 😆 It's like a classic feel-good sports movie, y'know. I got the audiobook and kind of zoned out during the tennis matches, but those were always pretty quick, and as a whole it made for a nice listen. I know nothing about tennis though, so I can't speak on the accuracy (based on others' reviews, it was not accurate, lol).

Overly competitive people irk me to no end, so you can imagine how incredibly annoying Carrie was to me at first, even though it made sense due to her upbringing. Of course she became more likeable as she learned to acknowledge her faults and I found myself rooting for her eventually. I especially enjoyed her banter with Nicki Chan (the best character, hello?!). This was much more entertaining than Malibu Rising, though at this point I don't think anything can live up to Daisy Jones for me.

I loved the ending! What a fun last line.

Content Warnings

cc_shelflove's review against another edition

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adventurous inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“I wake up the next morning. The sun is shining; the air is cool. It is a perfect day to win the US Open.”

I am lying in bed right now having just finished Carrie Soto Is Back, and the one word I keep repeating out loud to myself is “WOW.” Who knew a book about freaking tennis would make me cry?

TJR does it a-fucking-gain. I was so fortunate to attend her book tour and hear her speak about Carrie Soto’s character development—spoiler free, don’t worry!—live and in person. I got home after 10:00 PM and started the book that night. She shared that this novel was originally titled The Bitch Is Back, and I can 100% see why.

Carrie Soto is abrasive. She’s mean, she doesn’t take any shit from anyone, and she will tell you to your face that she knows she is better than you. She wants to win every tennis match, and if she’s not ahead, she will get pissed off and start making mistakes. I hate to say it, but I identified with Carrie completely. She is definitely an Enneagram 8!

The book takes us through four grueling tournaments after Carrie comes out of retirement at thirty-seven years old to defend her record for most Grand Slam titles: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. But it’s not all sports, if that is what you are worried about. We also explore Carrie’s relationship with her father in great detail, and yes, there is a love interest. I don’t know what more I can say. I laughed, I cried, I gripped the edge of my seat, and I loved every minute. The bitch is fucking BACK.

Content Warnings

vinnyvee's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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sennaje's review against another edition

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emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

biancabuysbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Carrie Soto is back on the tennis courts, coming out of retirement at age 37. Her Grand Slam record is in jeopardy, and she's determined to play one more year of all four major tournaments. Her nickname, "the Battle-Axe," isn't for nothing. She's an incredibly fierce, determined, and savage competitor.

Honestly, I would have LOVED to see Carrie Soto play in real life! I feel like she's the kind of player I would have loyally cheered for. I love this other universe TJR has created with her characters and we see a few cameos from past books, which is always fun! Her writing was addictive, keeping me up way too late some nights, and the audiobook is performed by a cast of characters!

While the tennis elements were heavy, one of my favorite pieces was the father/daughter relationship. It was refreshing that the romance plot took a backseat, although I enjoyed that part too! Carrie's Dad, Javier, coaches her on this comeback attempt and their bond through tennis is unbreakable. It made me think of my own family and tennis. My Grandparents taught me how to keep score, my Mom and I track all of our favorite players, and my Dad bought me my first racket in middle school, which I still use today. So thank you to TJR and Carrie Soto for bringing back all the fond memories!

Also, I have TJR and Carrie Soto to thank for getting me back out on the tennis court! I obviously had to find a court for the booksta picture and then went back to play the next day!

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