Carrie Soto is Back: SUmmary and Review
Carrie Soto is Back Summary
Taylor Jenkins Reid fans will likely remember Carrie Soto as a minor, but controversial character in Reid’s novel Malibu Rising. Well, guess what! Carrie Soto is Back, and she is fierce! In Carrie Soto is Back, Carrie is now retired from tennis. So far, she’s the best player the world has ever seen. She won twenty Grand Slam titles and shattered every record. Carrie was trained from childhood by her father, Javier, a champion in his own right. Carrie and her father have made every sacrifice for Carrie to be the best.
Now six years after retirement, a new player, Nicki Chan, has taken Carrie’s record as Carrie sits in the stands and watches. At thirty-seven years old, and with the sports media having few kind words for the Battle-Axe of women’s tennis, Carrie decides to come out of retirement for one last year to reclaim her record. Her father once again coaches her, and Carrie will do whatever it takes to win including training with Bowe Huntley: a man she almost fell in love with and who also has something to prove before retiring for good.
Carrie Soto is Back Review
My favorite thing about Carrie Soto is Back is how Taylor Jenknis Reid crafted an entire world in which all of the characters from her books exist. It’s like a crossover episode. I used to love those as a kid. In Carrie Soto is back, it’s so fun to learn Carrie’s story after first seeing her in Malibu Rising. For fans of Malibu Rising, you will gain new perspective on Carrie’s contentious role in that story. For readers that are new to Reid, you do not have to read Malibu Rising first as this book is not a continuation of that story. For those of you who are recoiling at the idea of a sports centered book, don’t write this one off!
Although I played tennis in high school, I am not a sports fan by any stretch of the imagination. Sitting down to watch a game of any sport ranks low on my list of enjoyable activities. Anything you need to know about tennis to understand the story is beautifully crafted into the narrative. Further, Reid writes the action of Carrie’s matches in the most suspenseful, page-turning way that will have even the most sports hating of us hanging on every word. There is a lot of tennis in this book though, so if that is truly a deal breaker for you then move along to one of Reid’s other great novels. We’ve all got our hangups!
Further, although the book centers around tennis, it is equally, if not more, about the things that unfold off the court. Carrie’s relationship with her father, not only as her parent, but also as her coach is a beautiful piece of Carrie’s story. Reid doesn’t shy away from delving into family dynamics and exploring the beautiful and ugly parts of those relationships. The heart and soul of Carrie Soto is Back, is Carrie’s father and his unconditional love for his daughter. Beyond her relationship with her father, Reid delves into Carrie’s relationship with her ex, Bowe. Their romance blends seamlessly into the wider issues in the book and gives you the perfect amount of swoon. Plus, Bowe is a lovable character. Carrie is an imperfect heroine, brash and hard headed, and at times somewhat unlikable, but this makes her personal growth through the novel that much more compelling. I was glued to this book beginning to end and it is my favorite TJR novel thus far.
Carrie Soto is Back
by Taylor Jenkins Reid