TJR serves up another epic heroine.  (See what I did there?)

 

It’s not lost on me that Carrie Soto is Back hit shelves just ahead of Serena Williams’s last US Open. #truegreatness #thegoat

 

Honestly, I’ve never really followed tennis.  I do find exceptional athletes fascinating though.  That drive.  That commitment.  That hustle. 

 

And while Carrie Soto is, in fact, fictional, I’m not sure she could’ve felt any more real.  

 

Best said by Elton John… the B!tch is back.  

 

Carrie Soto wasn’t liked.  She was elusive and self-absorbed and full of pride.  Oh but she didn’t care about that.  She only cared about being the best.  And she was.   But 7 years into retirement, there’s a new player who threatens to take that title away.  Carrie can’t let that happen.  

 

But the training for this comeback isn’t all physical.  This time Carrie must come to terms with her inner self… Why is she so determined? What hold does “win at all costs” have on her?  

 

This evolution of self is what catapults Carrie back into the limelight, and ultimately, cements her love of the sport anew.  Excellence built on flaws.  

 

And it was that adept character development and masterfully executed arc that was the true grand slam in this book.

 

Carrie Soto is a dynamic and powerful character that once again proves that Reid writes bold, brazen women like few others can.  

 

As I often do, I partnered my e-arc with the audio.  The majority of the audiobook is expertly narrated by Stacy Gonzalez.  But where the audiobook really shines is in the sports commentary.  Those sections, read by a cast, were *chef’s kiss* perfection.  They made Carrie’s story feel even more real.  

 

Many thanks to my partners @penguinrandomhouse @prhaudio @librofm for the #gifted copies of these.