Carrie Soto is Back is the eighth book by bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid and it’s a strong addition to her already impressive backlist.
It’s 1994 and Carrie Soto finds herself watching Nicki Chan in the US open, a tennis player who’s threatening Carrie’s own world record of twenty grand slam wins. After six years in retirement and at the age of 37, Carrie makes the monumental decision to return to tennis for one final season. It’s the showdown of a lifetime, and all eyes are on her.
The highlight of this novel is Carrie Soto herself. Originally mentioned in Jenkins Reid’s previous book, Malibu Rising, Carrie gets to tell her side of the story in this novel. And this is where Jenkins Reid does her best work. Carrie is blunt, focused, and relentless—characteristics that could render her unlikeable but which only serve to make her more relatable, especially as this story is told through her point of view. We see a character who has given everything to her sport, and at great personal cost.
The sheer heart of Carrie is what makes this book so special—whilst she’s a sore loser and seen as ‘ungracious’ towards her rivals, her passion and love for tennis shines throughout the story. This ties in with one of the main themes—that a good female tennis player should be courteous and downplay her hard work. Carrie comes along and completely dismantles this stereotype, and instead shows that yes, she is the best, and no, she’s not afraid to acknowledge it because she’s worked hard to get there. This opens up much-needed further discussion on gender roles within sport, as we see the public grapple with their opinions of Carrie because she doesn’t behave like a ‘typical’ female tennis player.
In true Jenkins Reid style, we also have a different narrative style within this novel. The author utilises different forms of excerpts, like sports and media broadcasts, and dedicates entire chapters to particular tennis matches, alongside standard form chapters. Perhaps most reminiscent of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this narrative style fully immerses the reader into the story, and provides a front row seat into the life of Carrie Soto. This also feeds into the pacing of the novel, which never feels like it’s dragging, as the book is constantly working towards its end goal.
In addition to this, there’s also some outstanding relationship work done throughout the story. Jenkins Reid has a knack for writing real, believable relationships, whether they be familial, platonic, or romantic. By capturing a range of different emotions, providing compelling backstory for each character, and giving them room to take up their own space within the story, you get some standout combinations. Take, for example, the dynamic between Carrie and her father, Javier. His role as both Carrie’s coach and father brings out the best—and worst—in Carrie. We learn enough of Javier’s backstory to know his motivations, but then we return to Carrie and experience it through her, too. The duality of relationships like this is another reason why this book works so well.
It’s fair to say that if The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was your top pick by this author, then Carrie Soto is going to give you a similarly jaw-dropping experience. With characters full of heart and bursting to be heard, Carrie Soto is Back is a must-add to your bookshelf.
Carrie Soto is Back is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
In this powerful novel about the cost of greatness, a legendary athlete attempts a comeback when the world considers her past her prime—from the New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising.
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.
