Carrie Soto Is Back is the third novel I’ve read by Taylor Jenkins Reid in recent months. I loved Atmosphere and recently enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six. I listened to all three of these as audio books and loved them all! With Carrie, I downloaded it without even reading the synopsis as I had been so immersed in her other novels, I knew whatever it was about I’d love it too! So, what is it about?
‘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 Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach. Javier—a former champion himself—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.’ (Courtesy of Taylor Jenkins Reid's website.)
So, when I started reading this I was happy. Whilst I don’t play tennis, I love Wimbledon season and try and watch as much as the tournament as I can. I did wonder if it would be too focused on the sport, but it was perfect for me!
Carrie is such a character, strong-willed, stubborn, determined, cold, and whilst she’s difficult to like ‘on paper’, somehow she’s still someone I very much liked and rooted for! I felt the drive and ambition throughout and it’s hard for me to believe she’s not actually real!
The relationship between Carrie and her father is fundamental in this novel and I loved how this evolved over time. Javier is so lovely and it got emotional at times.
I can only imagine how tricky it is to make a tennis match suspenseful and exciting in a novel but this is done so well. I was completely invested in every shot and Carrie’s ambition to retain her record!
This is a novel that explores what it means to be a winner; the sacrifices, the drive needed, but also how someone can learn that winning simply isn’t everything. Even if you’re not a tennis fan I’m sure you’d enjoy this, it’s just written so well. Highly recommended!
Check out Melissa's review here.
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