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arireadsitall's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was so so so good! Like read all day because I needed to finish good. I think watching challengers prepared me for how tennis heavy this is. I love a redemption story and Carrie Soto is everything to me!! I love TJR books and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to read this!!
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
joensign's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer and Racism
lucyatoz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
"The fight for a place in history is about to begin..."
For the record, I am a big fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid's storytelling. However, Carrie Soto is Back is my least favourite of her novels that I have read so far. Do not get me wrong, it is a really well written book and I am a big tennis fan, however, I think it was overly focussed on the game & set and really did not make it to a match with me.
I did appreciate how her relationship with her dad, Javier, developed although he is her tennis coach first and a father second and it ebbed and flowed following the death of her Mother, Alicia, and her rise through the tennis rankings. However, I ultimately did not warm to Carrie nor feel invested in her story.
I borrowed a copy of this book from Taunton Library and listened to it on BorrowBox. I read this for prompt 33, an abrupt ending, for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024.
For the record, I am a big fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid's storytelling. However, Carrie Soto is Back is my least favourite of her novels that I have read so far. Do not get me wrong, it is a really well written book and I am a big tennis fan, however, I think it was overly focussed on the game & set and really did not make it to a match with me.
I did appreciate how her relationship with her dad, Javier, developed although he is her tennis coach first and a father second and it ebbed and flowed following the death of her Mother, Alicia, and her rise through the tennis rankings. However, I ultimately did not warm to Carrie nor feel invested in her story.
I borrowed a copy of this book from Taunton Library and listened to it on BorrowBox. I read this for prompt 33, an abrupt ending, for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
iridescencedeep's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Carrie Soto is a hard woman to love. The things that are important to her at the beginning of this book - the importance of winning, of domination; that nothing else holds a candle - are not things that are important to me. But the book is about her growing past them
Reading the beginning of this book, about the training regimen her father designed for her beginning she was a toddler, made me cringe. But I do respect greatness.
And Carrie Soto is great.
Jenkins Reid's writing is gripping; I read this book in two days. She does a great job of putting the reader on the tennis court, even if you don't care about tennis.
Reading the beginning of this book, about the training regimen her father designed for her beginning she was a toddler, made me cringe. But I do respect greatness.
And Carrie Soto is great.
Jenkins Reid's writing is gripping; I read this book in two days. She does a great job of putting the reader on the tennis court, even if you don't care about tennis.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Cancer and Injury/Injury detail
elisalasater's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail
emilywemily6's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I really enjoy TJR’s historical novels and this one is no exception. I really loved learning more about tennis and seeing multiple timelines tell the story of Carrie Soto. The dynamic audio was also really immersive to listen to! Carrie was unlikeable (on purpose) but occasionally she did/said things that were so egregious that I would have set boundaries and cut her out of my life, and yet her closest friends stuck around for her. She did have character growth towards the end of the book, but it felt like such a stretch compared to where she was at just prior to that turning point since she had little to no growth for the majority of the book. The romance was pretty subtle, which was nice that it didn’t overpower the rest of the story. Overall, not my favorite by this author, but I still really enjoyed it. I think the high emotions from the game play-by-plays bumped this book up in rating just a little bit for me, I definitely felt emotional a couple times throughout this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Cursing
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Medical content, and Alcohol
turidt's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Medical content and Injury/Injury detail
grxcequinn's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Chronic illness, Cursing, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
virgcole398's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Sexism, Medical content, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
saramcaps's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
TJR’s stories are so readable to me… I just get so engrossed in them. She really excels at humanizing unlikeable, messy female characters, exploring the pitfalls of fame, and bringing peace to her characters by the end. It’s predictable at times, but the joy is in getting there. By the end, you feel like you went through this comeback with Carrie—and all the triumph, sorrow, and relief that goes with it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail