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A review by theespressoedition
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While I can't say this is my favorite book by Taylor Jenkins Reid, it did land itself at the same level (or possibly above) Malibu Rising for me! It was filled with all of the family emotion, great quotes, strong characters, and depth that I wanted - without the intense levels of drama that I've found in her previous novels. Very enjoyable.
I'm really glad that I chose to listen to the audiobook. Similar to Daisy Jones & The Six, it had a full cast of narrators that made the story even more immersive. I felt like I was living in it rather than just reading about it. I proceeded to listen to the entire story in one day, which made me have some strange tennis dreams…
Speaking of tennis, if you're a lover of the sport and you have a lot of knowledge about it, you'll really enjoy this book. When it came to my personal experience, I felt like a lot of the most intense moments were lost on me because I don't have a clue how the game works. However, despite my lack of insight, I still enjoyed the tennis-centered scenes and the emotions that came from the different characters allowed me to understand what was happening - possibly almost as much as someone who actually gets the terms.
The serious lack of romance was super surprising to me. This is something that was fundamental in almost every other TJR book I've read so far. In Carrie Soto, there was very little focus on that. It existed, but never in graphic ways and it certainly wasn't a primary plot point. Carrie's relationship with her father was defiitely the top theme for the majority of the book. That, and her rivalries.
It was interesting to see how Carrie changed throughout the book. I wouldn't necessarily say there was grand character development or growth, but she did become different people throughout each part of the story and I found a lot of what she went through to be very relatable. I enjoyed "seeing inside her mind" so to speak.
I definitely recommend this one! You don't need to read Malibu Rising to understand it, but I enjoyed the little nods to parts of that story (along with the mention of reading a Daisy Jones & The Six biography at one point). Having all four of the latest TJR books set in the same world is really fun!
I'm really glad that I chose to listen to the audiobook. Similar to Daisy Jones & The Six, it had a full cast of narrators that made the story even more immersive. I felt like I was living in it rather than just reading about it. I proceeded to listen to the entire story in one day, which made me have some strange tennis dreams…
Speaking of tennis, if you're a lover of the sport and you have a lot of knowledge about it, you'll really enjoy this book. When it came to my personal experience, I felt like a lot of the most intense moments were lost on me because I don't have a clue how the game works. However, despite my lack of insight, I still enjoyed the tennis-centered scenes and the emotions that came from the different characters allowed me to understand what was happening - possibly almost as much as someone who actually gets the terms.
The serious lack of romance was super surprising to me. This is something that was fundamental in almost every other TJR book I've read so far. In Carrie Soto, there was very little focus on that. It existed, but never in graphic ways and it certainly wasn't a primary plot point. Carrie's relationship with her father was defiitely the top theme for the majority of the book. That, and her rivalries.
It was interesting to see how Carrie changed throughout the book. I wouldn't necessarily say there was grand character development or growth, but she did become different people throughout each part of the story and I found a lot of what she went through to be very relatable. I enjoyed "seeing inside her mind" so to speak.
I definitely recommend this one! You don't need to read Malibu Rising to understand it, but I enjoyed the little nods to parts of that story (along with the mention of reading a Daisy Jones & The Six biography at one point). Having all four of the latest TJR books set in the same world is really fun!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity and Misogyny