By Taylor Jenkins Reid
⭐⭐⭐ ½ (Goodreads: 4.22)
GENRE: Drama
PART OF A SERIES? No
WORTH READING? No
SUMMARY:
Six years after she retires from being the greatest-of-all-time tennis player, Carrie Soto watches in horror as her record is snatched from her by an incredible player, Nicki Chan.
Despite being 37 years old, Carrie makes a huge decision to try to reclaim her title. Her greatest supporter (her father) is also her coach. Between them, they want to prove that she is still the G.O.A.T.
Opening line: 'My entire life’s work rests on the outcome of this match.'
This story gives a thorough behind-the-scenes look at the incredible dedication and devotion behind top-level sports. I liked that, because I know several people (including my beautiful daughter) who have represented our country at the pinnacle of their careers and they have worked incredibly hard. Like my daughter always says, it’s all about ‘blood, sweat and tears’. And Taylor Jenkins Reid has portrayed that perfectly.
However, I had quite a few issues with this book. This is a story with a LOT of tennis! Even for someone who is a massive fan of watching and playing tennis it was too much. I think it would be okay to say: “She won the first game. I won the next…” rather than a description of every shot and every individual point within those games.
Another thing that was frustrating was that at least twice Jenkins Reid said that Carrie was sitting down at 5:5. However, tennis players get their rest and change ends when the score adds up to an odd number, so it’s weird that no-one picked this up before it went to print. This was a niggly, annoying error for me.
There is also quite a lot of (unexplained) Spanish, which was a little irritating for those of us who can’t speak Spanish. I mean, I could get a vague idea of its meaning via context, but sometimes it would’ve been helpful if Reid had explained it within the daughter/father’s reply.
The story needs more character development, particularly in the first half of the book.
The two central characters are Carrie and her father. The main character of Carrie is quite difficult to like at times. Her lack of humility grated on me. Carrie’s father is much more likeable. His support for his daughter is admirable and unerring, but it also became a bit frustrating exactly how many times we, as a reader, are told that he thinks she’s the most talented/wonderful/best player in the world. I get sick of repeatedly being told the same thing when I’m reading a book. The effect of this was, among other things, that the father feels a bit one-dimensional… 95% of his talk is about tennis.
One of the bit characters, Nicki, is highly successful and talented, yet still kind and humble… I think I’d have preferred to have read a book about her, as she’s much more likeable than Carrie.
It pains me to admit that this was a disappointing read for me. I even considered quitting (DNF) many times. It is the only book by Jenkins Reid that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed. I've loved so many of her others! (see below)
If you’d still like to check it out yourself…
Click here to buy Carrie Soto is Back
To purchase other Taylor Jenkins Reid books that are my personal favourites of hers:
Click here to buy the paperback of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Click here to buy the paperback of Malibu Rising
Click here to buy the paperback of One True Loves
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