In books I love an unlikeable (especially female) protagonist and in sport I love an underdog so Carrie Soto, retired from tennis for 8 years and making a comeback to keep her record from being beaten, is just the perfect character. The novel does have many long descriptions of tennis matches, taken point by point, and while I found these interesting, this is probably not a great read for someone who doesn’t love tennis. It’s clearly well-researched, and I didn’t spot any obvious tennis errors but I did notice a gambling one from my years working in bookies: a BBC radio presenter saying that Cortez is favourite at Wimbledon with “betting odds” of 3 to 2. Anyone who knows sports betting knows that fraction is always inexplicably presented as 6/4. Nevertheless, it was wonderful to be back in the Taylor Jenkins Reid universe, and even better to be so immersed in a tennis book during Wimbledon.

I never thought I’d read a book about tennis, but here I am absolutely loving it. Taylor Jenkins Reid has done a brilliant job of including vivid images through her brilliant writing. Her characters are strong and fantastically written as always. She’s truly done it again, what a read!

I would struggle to be able to review this book due to issues with the file/download. The issues stopped the flow of the book. The issues are:
- Missing words in the middle of sentences
- Stop/start sentences on different lines
- No clear definition of chapters.

Not sure if it was a file/download issue but there were lots of gaps, stop/starts which really ruined the flow. I would love the chance to read a better version as the description of the book appeals to me.

I would be more than happy to re-read the book with a better file or as a physical book as the book topic and genre is of interest to me. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

I can't believe TJR invented tennis.

HOLY.CRAP. SHE'S DONE IT AGAIN. I don't even know where to start. I didn't care about Tennis, I didn't know anything about Tennis before reading this book, and now I am looking up when the next Tennis tournament is just so I can watch it and hopefully feel as on the edge of my seat as I did while reading this. I was SO excited for this book but also intrigued as to whether I'd like it as like I said, I didn't care about tennis at all. But I think that is what makes this book, and TJRs writing, even more incredible, within a couple of pages I began to truly CARE about tennis, truly and deeply.

But this book is not just about Tennis, I mean it is, but it's not, it is quite frankly the song 'The Man' by Taylor Swift in book form. From childhood Carrie has been coached, by her dad, to become the best Tennis player ever, and she does achieve that, but not without commentary from MEN about how shes cut throat and a b*tch just because she is there to win and not make friends. When the record she set is in danger of being broken she decides to come out of retirement and try to defend it. Which may not sound very exciting but I promise you I read this book in less than 12 hours and my palms were genuinely sweating near the end, I was absolutely hooked.

Another thing I love about TJRs books is that they all happen kinda in the same universe, Daisy Jones & The Six are mentioned AND GOD DAMN MICK RIVA WHO IS THIS MAN AND WHY IS HE EVERYWHERE BUT WITH HIS KIDS.

I truly absolutely loved this book and I would absolutely recommend it, especially if you love TJR and Tennis (although I can't comment on the accuracy but I have taken it as gospel so if anything is not correct I quite frankly think it real life tennis should be changed to match the book)

I will also include some of my favourite quotes below so you can get the vibe:

'Because you are not yet who you will one day be.'

'You were not born that person. You were born to become that person.'

'Maybe I was not the sort of girl who became a girlfriend at all. Maybe I was the type of girl you kissed when no one was looking and that was it.'

'The bulk of the commentators.. They wanted a woman whose eyes would tear up with gratitude, as if she owed them her victory, as if she owed them everything she had.'

'Some men's childhoods are permitted to last forever, but women are so often reminded that there is work to be done.'

'It is her right to have fun, keep playing. To not help with dinner.

'People who are actually playing the game lose. We all lose. We lose all the time. That is life.'

'WE LIVE IN A WORD WHERE EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN HAVE TO SIT AROUND WAITING FOR MEDIOCRE MEN.'

Anyway I will shut up now, I loved it though I give it a 4.5 stars but easily rounded up to 5.

Thank you so much to Netgallery, Penguin Random House and Taylor Jenkins Reid for this ARC in exchange for an honest review, it absolutely made my day when I saw I was approved for a book that was one of my most anticipated releases.

I'm a huge fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid so was really excited to get an early copy of her latest novel. Carrie Soto was a record-setting tennis player that had to stop playing due to a knee injury. At 37, she has returned to the game and to set the record as the oldest player to win the US Open. I'm not a tennis fan but this book had me completely gripped throughout and I thought it was brilliant- finished it in a day!

This book was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. So, when *that* email dropped in my inbox,
I was nervous. I was excited. I WAS READY 😂

🥎
To start with, I will say, this book is HEAVILY tennis based! So if you are already a fan, then great!
But, If like me, it hasn't really interested you before, don't let that put you off. Because once you become invested in this story, you won't want to put it down!
But yeah, fair warning, there is alot of tennis talk!

🥎
I loved how the story went right back to the beginning of Carries life when she was just young girl and we got to see just how hard she worked to become the NO.1 tennis sensation that she was. The highs and lows of her carer were fascinating, and the attention to detail was 👌.

🥎
Carrie herself was a women who knew her own mind and completely owned who she was. She was ruthless, fierce, and not always likeable.
But as with alot of TJRs FMCs, I found myself slowly falling in love with her anyway. The transition she goes through in this book made it all worth while!!

🥎
I adored the relationship between her and her father. They had a very special bond and you could feel just how much he loved her. They are not without their troubles, but you won't find a stronger connection than those two. ❤

🥎
How would i sum up this book?
Hard hitting, emotional, and very powerful in places.
Carrie Soto is a force to be reckoned with!

I haven't suddenly become a No.1 tennis fan, and I wouldn't rush out to buy more books on the sport. But what I will say is, I would read this one all over again, anytime 💚 . 4.5 STARS

I have loved everything Taylor Jenkins Reid has ever written and was desperately waiting to read Carrie Soto is back. I am a huge tennis fan so combining a TJR book with tennis is everything I could ever want!

After retiring earlier than hoped from tennis after a knee injury, Carrie Soto sees her grand slam record about to be broken. Instead of letting Nicki Chan take her record, Carrie decides to make an unexpected comeback in order to reclaim her record, playing all four grand slams. Can she win?

I flew through this book in one day. It was fast paced and gripping and I loved every word written. I was rooting for Carrie from page one and Bowe was such a great accompanying character. Did I shed a few tears? Quite possibly.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Believe the hype, Taylor Jenkins Reid writes brilliant books.
This is the first book by Jenkins Reid that I have picked up, and it won't be the last. Carrie Soto is a brilliant character and this book is fun, tense, enjoyable, well paced....the perfect summer read.
5 stars.

Six months ago, I doubt I would have picked up this book, because as much as I like TJR storytelling, I'm not interested in tennis.
Then along came a little film called King Richard.
The tennis in this book was exciting and tense, I genuinely raced through some of the pages to see who would won, because the great thing about this book I felt, was it wasn't certain Carrie would.
Some fantastic characters, not just Carrie, Bowe and Javier , but Gewn and Chan and we'll, everyone.
All described so I had no problem imagining them and their actions.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.

The think I like about Taylor Reid Jenkins books is that she has heroines that are far from mainstream, in this instance a tennis player past her glory days. That said, unlike Nina in Malibu Rising, Carrie isn’t a particularly likeable character (and not just because of what happened with Nina’s Husband!)

Can our queen TJR write another phenomenal book that lives up to the legends that are Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones and Nina Riva? Hell yeah!

This book was impossible to put down and got me right in the feels. The characters jump right off the page and leave their indelible mark on you. I adored Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones but by the time I got round to Malibu Rising, I was tired of reading about yet another extraordinarily beautiful and universally adored sex icon.

Carrie, however, is such a breath of fresh air! She's not the easiest person to like but make no mistake — she's not here to be liked. She's here to win. She's unapologetically herself and doesn't mince words. But you will love her anyway.

The supporting cast was just as fantastic. Everyone was so well-developed and had terrific character arcs. I thought I was prepared to be emotionally wrecked but ended up crying anyway. Even though I couldn't get enough of the book and its larger-than-life characters, I loved the ending because it just felt so fitting and integral to the entire story.

I really enjoyed how the book explores timeless themes such as sexism, the impossible and double standards that women held up to, the pressures of fame and more. Also, the little nods to other TJR books had me squealing like the fangirl that I am. Eeeek!

Don't be put off by complaints about this book being sports-heavy. I have zero knowledge of tennis but relished every moment of this fast-paced and gripping novel. If anything, I found it all super exciting and fascinating! The writing was clear, descriptive and easy to understand without being too technical. I actually felt like I was right there in the stands watching and cheering for Carrie.

But that's what TJR does. She creates legendary and unforgettable icons that stay with you long after you turn the last page. And in Carrie Soto, we have a goddamn warrior. A freaking king. The greatest of Greeks. Watch out, world 🔥

Thank you very much for the privilege to read this book. Full review to follow here and on blog. I love all of TJRS books so much. So excited for the Daisy Jones & The Six series coming up. All of her books are a literary masterpiece. Her writing is poignant and different, she is truly ina league of her own, so excited to see how she takes on the sports world.

One of the best novels I've read this year, well-written with fleshed out characters; TJR's Carrie is driven, competitive, relatable, empowering.

Perfect for tennis lovers, but not for me. Far too much tennis and not enough off court action. As someone who isn't competitive at all, and isn't hugely into sport, this was all a bit lost on me.
Appreciate the link to Evelyn Hugo but not enough about this- felt was perhaps a wasted opportunity.

Carrie Soto is a Tennis Great; a sporting legend - seven years post retirement and yet nobody has beaten her record of 20 Grand Slams. Raised by her single father, who doubled up as a coach - her competitive instincts ring clear when she returns from retirement to prevent the sports newest star from beating her proudest achievement.

~

This was unreal. Taylor is up there with the best for me, everything she writes has this distinctive, addictive quality to them - across all her books, with Carrie Soto being no exception, her writing is so engaging and vivid you are able to imagine every scene with such clarity. It as though you are simultaneously a spectator but also the character themselves.

I do not know much, nor do I really care much, about tennis, which made me worry about this book (compared to say, a 70s rock band or a Hollywood Starlet). But, fair play, the voice of Carrie and the portrayal of the competitive sporting world made me care about this book. From her relationships with the media, to the one with her father (whom she loves dearly, but their parent / coach boundary is one they perpetually struggle to establish), to those with her fellow tennis players (a romance comes to mind, which is just so incredibly written)… you live in this characters life and mindset for a whole book, and, hell, you really start to care about the results of those matches.

~

I’m genuinely devastated that this is the last in the celebrity series which have formed some of my favourite books, but I’m so excited to see where Taylor explores next:

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of my most anticipated read of the year. It did not disappoint.

“But of course there are no absolute morals or lessons. Only perspectives. One man’s bitch is another woman’s hero”

Carrie Soto is a minor character in TJR’s 2021 novel, Malibu Rising: a vengeful ex-girlfriend who is shown to be fiery, to say the least. She’s perfect fodder for her own novel, and this book more than does her justice - dare I say it is the author’s best since Evelyn Hugo? I think I do.
Carrie is the world’s greatest tennis player - the first section of the novel is devoted to her meteoric rise through the ranks, with the next two-thirds dedicated to her comeback at the age of thirty-seven, prohibitively old for professional tennis, not that Carrie is letting that stop her.

The premise of the novel lets you know who this woman is - hard-headed, ambitious, and obsessed with success. She is extremely spiky - you’ll cringe at some of the things she says - but TJR is a master of interiority and so we get to know Carrie on a deeper level than her opponents. She is all of the above and more, and most tellingly, she loves hard - her dad, especially, her only living family - and is obsessed with perfection in her field. Which she’s achieved - but is it enough?
Carrie Soto Is Back is a sports novel that’s also an excellent journey of self-discovery. Carrie’s Grand Slam record is under threat and so is her entire sense of self - she is bound up completely not just in tennis, but in winning, and it’s this that drives her, much to the annoyance/worry of her loved ones. TJR spins out Carrie’s journey over the course of the novel in a way that feels totally natural and, as always with TJR, it feels wrong that this woman is fictional.
Another element of this book that I loved is TJR’s picking at sexism and double standards for women - both generally and in sport. Carrie has always played aggressively and acted coldly towards her peers, earning her the title “The Battle Axe” - how very 1990s. TJR plays on these regressive standards and highlights how difficult it was for women to succeed in the eyes of the media at this time - doubly so for women of colour, as one illuminating conversation in the novel shows.
The emotional story beats of this novel, though maybe slightly predictable in some places, are nonetheless deeply affecting, and when the novel reaches the point we’ve aimed for this whole time, it’s genuinely thrilling. Taylor Jenkins Reid truly is one of the most exciting writers of our time, and Carrie Soto gets five thrilling stars from me.

Words cannot fully express how much this book captured my heart and soul! An absolute masterpiece from one of my favourite authors. Contemporary fiction is not a genre I tend to read, which is a testament to how fantastic TJR truly is.

I loved the pro tennis setting. I am a massive sports fan, and whilst I don't follow professional tennis I loved the atmosphere of the competitions and the training regimes. I was rooting the whole way through for Carrie, feeling her euphoria when she won and her devastation when she lost. She's such an interesting and complex character, but I easily fell in love.

This is such an impressive novel about a woman's ambition and determination to succeed. Carrie was denoted the "Battle Axe" throughout her career for coming across as ruthless and unfriendly. There are a lot of horrible comments made about her by people who feel they have a right to an opinion on her. No matter how successful she has been, how many records she has broken, there are still those that do not consider it enough. If Carrie had been a man her attitude would be applauded as ambition, not criticised.

The relationship between Carrie and her father really tugs at the heartstrings. They have their problems, as all father daughter pairings do, made all the more intense due to the high pressure life Carrie has lead, but at the end of the day they love each other unconditionally and it is beautifully to read.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is back with another highly anticipated book, and it’s guaranteed to be another massive hit with her fans!

Carrie Soto has shattered every record and won twenty Slam titles. But six years after her retirement, she’s sitting in the stands at the US open watching her record being taken by the British player, Nicki Chan. At 37 years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and train with her father to reclaim her record. The Battle Axe is back!

We met Carrie briefly in Malibu Rising, and in this book, Reid has created a love letter from Carrie to the world of tennis. If you are a fan of the sport, this book will have you absolutely captivated as we deep-dive into the sport and get to grips with all the technical training and the experiences of playing tennis in great detail.

Carrie, like many of the characters in Reid’s books, is flawed. She’s a fierce person, closed off emotionally, doesn’t have any friends, refuses to be friendly with any of the other female players on the circuit and is brutally honest with no filter. She’s competitive and comes across as arrogant. She often makes the wrong choices but is completely dedicated to tennis at the expense of friendships and love.

This book is about a woman’s ambition to excel at her sport; to be seen as the number one player in the world and that her age is not a factor. One of the really interesting aspects for me in this book is how ambitious women are perceived by the media and the idolisation of the young, white players over those from different ethnicities, something that is still an issue today in many areas.

Her relationship with her father is beautiful to read. They may not always agree with each other’s advice, but their love for each other and the sport and their bond is so strong. The development of Carrie’s relationship with Bowe is a definite slow-burn but heartwarming to read.

If the reader doesn’t know much about tennis, I think it might not be as enjoyable a read as was the case for Malibu Rising or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Tennis fans will thoroughly enjoy this book.

There’s definitely an adrenaline rush when we step onto the court with Carrie. She’s a force to be reckoned with on the court- her confidence, her grit and determination to remain the greatest female tennis player the world has ever seen is awe-inspiring.

Is it my favourite book by Reid? No, but it is an enjoyable read nonetheless. 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc. Carrie Soto Is Back will be released on August 30th.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

Great characters, great rivalry, great read!

Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again.

I highlighted so much of this book, I literally couldn’t put it down. TJR always writes incredible story lines, with amazing characters and I was so happy to see the villain of Malibu Rising return.

I felt the courts, the wind, the clay through this book. I felt the losses, the grief, the anger and frustration and pain. I also felt the victory. Not only was a routing for her, but I became Carrie while reading this book, and it sent shivers down my spine.

Now where are my pair of neon pink Break Points and a matching headband because if I wasn’t a Carrie Soto fan in the last book, you best believe that I am now.

Thank you to the Penguin Random House UK and to NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.