CARRIE SOTO IS BACK

SYNOPSIS

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.

Title: Carrie Soto is back

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication date: August 30, 2022

REVIEW

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Everyone knows (and if you don’t you’re learning it now) I don’t like sport. I don’t like playing them, and much less watching them on TV, so who would have guessed I’d enjoy so much reading a book about tennis? I was a bit scared cause I had read some reviews saying there were lots (and I mean LOTS) of tennis talk here, but TJR and her phenomenal writing skills managed to get me so invested in this story.

When Carrie Soto retired from tennis she hold the record as winner of the most Grand Slam titles by any player ever, but now, six years later, that record is threatened by another player, so she decides to come out of retirement at 37 years of age to prove she’s still the greatest tennis player in the world and win her record back.

This was undeniably a story about tennis, but it was also a character study with Carrie’s relationship with her father and coach, Javier, as the focal point. This was by far my favorite part of the story. At times it was heartwarming, at times it was heartbreaking but, despite all the hurdles and missteps they went through, the love and respect they felt for each other was the dominant note that made their relationship move forward. 

Carrie was abrasive, cold-hearted, cocky and arrogant, both on and off the court, so that made her a difficult character to spend time around (it is a first person narration so get ready to spend lots of time with her) but, as the story moved forward, we got to see her vulnerable side, as she rediscovered her love for tennis and not only winning, and she opened herself up to find love for the first time.

Don’t worry if you don’t know anything about tennis (I didn’t), cause you’ll be able to enjoy this all the same, even the tennis matches! The descriptions were so vivid it felt like I was watching a real match!

The commitment and sacrifices involved with playing a sport at a high level were really well portrayed, as were the rivalries that inevitably will unfold between those at the very top.

Carrie Soto Is Back is a story of a comeback, full of tennis but also full of great characters that will take you on a captivating journey.