Carrie Soto Is Back: A Novel Paperback – June 6, 2023

"Carrie Soto is Back" by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a powerful exploration of resilience and ambition, following the legendary tennis player Carrie Soto as she battles to reclaim her status as the best in the world. Having shattered records and won twenty Grand Slam titles, Carrie's fierce commitment to her sport has not always won her fans. After retiring, she finds herself in a challenging position when a rising star, Nicki Chan, begins to erode her legacy by breaking her long-held record at the 1994 US Open.At thirty-seven, Carrie makes the bold decision to unretire and train with her father, Javier, who has guided her since childhood. This choice is steeped in emotional complexity as Carrie confronts her physical limitations and the perceptions of sports media that labeled her “the Battle-Axe.” Additionally, she must navigate her unresolved feelings for Bowe Huntley, a former competitor with his ambitions.Reid masterfully captures the intensity of Carrie's journey, highlighting the grit and vulnerability required to pursue greatness in a world that often favors youth and change. "Carrie Soto is Back" is not just a sports narrative; it's a heartfelt reflection on the importance of legacy, love, and the relentless pursuit of one's dreams. This riveting novel showcases Reid's exceptional storytelling and emotional depth, making it a must-read for fans of sports fiction and stories of personal triumph.

The only other TJR novel I’ve read was one that thoroughly stunned me—DAISY JONES AND THE SIX. Reid captured the time period, the rock scene, and the characters with so much heart and authenticity that I was open and ready to read another of her works. But tennis? It wasn’t until I scanned some reviews that specifically stated that you don’t need to understand tennis to enjoy this book that I decided to go for it. And they were right! CARRIE SOTO is a smashing character in a champion story.In CARRIE SOTO, tennis is primary, but also the volley for TJR’s themes about the human condition. And Carrie Soto is so vivid, intense, and fully dimensional—known in the tennis world as the Battle Axe-- that she lived in my home and in my heart on every page. In fact, I even dreamt about her, she was that pressed into my literary soul. Carrie is single-minded, merciless when it comes to the court. Her unyielding nature, however, has its pitfalls; her personal life is the love you only get in tennis.It's 1994, and Carrie is 37, retired for six years. Still single, she trusts nobody enough to get close to but her agent, Gwen, and her father, Javier, who raised her himself (her mother died when she was very young). In his home country of Argentina, Javier made quite a splash in tennis until he was injured. He turned to coaching his daughter. He started teaching her the game when she turned two.Carrie is tightly coiled and at arm’s length from the rest of the human race. Her solitary life leaves little room for laughter. Soto was a ten-time Wimbledon champ and winner of more Slams than any other woman in history—until the new It-girl Nicki Chan surpasses Carrie’s Slam record in ‘94. Carrie decides to go back into the game to defend her record and show that she’s still the world’s best tennis player.The novel gradually fills in the background time gaps so that the reader pieces together what makes Carrie tick. A tennis phenom, she was also a walking time bomb—I kept waiting for the inevitable explosion. I did learn intriguing tennis facts that I ate up despite my indifference to the sport itself. Reid has an exciting way of revealing the game without boring the reader. And the sport is also a metaphor for Carrie’s drive, her spirit, her priorities, and her sense of self and self-esteem. As the competitive drive consumes Carrie, it absorbed me, too. Her obsessive nature was in her DNA.“I’m back at war, after years of not knowing how to live during peacetime. This is the only place where I make sense to myself.”Tennis was all that Carrie lived for. Reid created a stark character that the reader, by turns, dares to understand and occasionally wants to tromp. Soto’s fanaticism is also what defines her, and binds her and inevitably can blind her. She guards her emotions and steers her life away from others. Training and competing means meeting the world at large—but on whose terms?Do expect some untranslated Spanish—but these days we have google translate to make it easier, and it doesn’t distract, but rather adds to the novel. TJR is a genius in welcoming readers like me, who know squat about tennis but is captivated by the story of what it means to be human—flawed, expectant, hopeful, scared, and served with a beating heart. 4.5

Taylor Jenkins Reid's latest novel, "Carrie Soto is Back," serves an ace into the world of competitive tennis, challenging the narrative around ambition in women through the formidable Carrie Soto. Reid's narrative isn’t just about the drama of women’s tennis; it's a deep dive into the soul of a woman who dares to want more, and often gets it.At the core of this compelling tale is Carrie Soto, who fans of TJR already know is a powerful, confident character from her appearance in “Malibu Rising”. In this novel, Carrie is a legend. She becomes number one in the world, initially guided by her father and coach, Javier Soto, a tennis legend himself. Years later, emerging from retirement at the age of 37, Carrie returns to defend her record breaking number of Grand Slam titles. Her quest is more than a battle on the court; it's an introspective journey that gets into Carrie’s “head game” and into the very heart of success itself. Reid skillfully crafts a tale that prompts us to question the very fabric of achievement and the personal cost of greatness. She also gives us glimpses into male perceptions of ambition in women, perceptions that are often shown to be negative and sometimes outright reprehensible.Carrie Soto's character is a REVELATION! Initially, in the first half of the novel, I found Carrie to be unlikable, and my impressions of her were more negative than positive. However, as the story progressed into the novel’s second half, my perceptions shifted dramatically. Reid's crisp prose, delivered in Carrie's own voice, revealed the complexities of the ambition that motivated and defined her. My heart also softened for Carrie as I saw her become more open and vulnerable in her interactions with her father, her lover, and her best friend and agent.I was THOROUGHLY CAPTIVATED by Reid’s adept narration of the tennis matches throughout the novel that added an electrifying layer to the story, making the tension and thrill of the sport leap off the page, engaging even myself who had no prior interest in tennis.The novel is not without its humor. At one point, Carrie receives a gift from her rival, Nicki Chan. Nicki says it's a "declaration of war. Fun, right?" Loved it!Oh, does Mick Riva make an appearance? I'm really not one to say...But don't think the novel does not deeply explore serious and complex issues. It does. Big time. Issues such as sexism, grief, success and vulnerability, among many others.While the novel is AMAZING, I thought the conclusion was somewhat rushed, with major events and emotional developments quickly resolved to meet the narrative's timeline. I felt this slightly undermined the depth of Carrie's transformation, and it left me wishing for more time to explore and believe in her emotional journey.Overall, "Carrie Soto is Back" is an enthralling tale of what it means to be triumphant in sports and in life. Taylor Jenkins Reid delivers a narrative brimming with suspense, emotion, and a powerful message about what happens when women (and also men) dare to strive for what is possible. It is a story about overcoming oneself, but also one about family, relationships and finding joy. This novel is a must-read for anyone captivated by stories of personal triumph and the intricate dynamics of the human spirit.Break point. The match goes to Reid!