My Take:
I was SO INVESTED in this story! I loved Carrie, Gwen, Javier, and Bowe. I was rooting for Carrie during every match. I was hella worried about Javier’s health. I was hoping that Gwen wouldn’t drop Carrie. And I was hoping that Bowe would be patient enough to let Carrie mature a little.
My take: 5 looks
Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it AGAIN. There are so many layers between the two covers that I feel like I read three or four books. One book about the father/daughter relationship. One book about the game of tennis. One book about how to handle growing out of the only identity you’ve ever known. One book about opening your eyes one day and seeing what is truly important. That third and fourth book may be the same one.
What did I love: I love how Reid described the nuances of tennis, like the vast differences that the type of court makes. I never realized that a player could be strong without being precise, and what a difference your stance makes when you serve. Did you know that good tennis players can see how the ball will bounce, and immediately calculate the type of return that would work best against the opponent? What a difference strength vs stamina makes in the outcome of a match?
You know what I did after finishing this book? I searched out the PBS production “Gods of Tennis”, which highlights the 1970s and 1980s world of tennis, which was when it went from a hobby to downright sexy. Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe were groundbreaking. Martina Navratilova was a physical powerhouse. Bjorn Borg and Chis Evert were pin-up worthy. It had it ALL!
And so does Carrie Soto is Back. Get this book. You will be sorry that you have to wait until next year to watch Wimbledon.
Highly recommended.
