From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

Carrie Soto Is Back

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Start date: July 1, 2023

Finish date: July 31, 2023

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What Members Thought

Dec 15, 2023 Paula Phillips rated it liked it · review of another edition

This book has been on my bookshelf for a while now and I had kept meaning to read it, especially after reading Malibu Rising and seeing the introduction of Carrie Soto in the book when she ends up splitting Nina Riva's family by dating her husband Brendan. Ever since she was a little girl, Carrie was destined for big things and becoming a tennis prodigy. Her father an ex-tennis player himself, coached her until one day - her dad told her that it was alright to be second best, and after that Carr ...more

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Apr 29, 2023 Bonnie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction-post-wwii, 2022-books

Reid always writes fascinating books about powerful women who are standouts in their field who must brush off the misogyny and difficulties they face (actress in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo; singer in Daisy Jones & The Six; surfer in Malibu Rising and now tennis player). They are easy reads that pack an emotional punch.

Carrie Soto played a minor, antagonistic role in Malibu Rising, as the mistress of Nina Riva's husband. When I learned that she was getting her own book, I was thrilled. I l Reid always writes fascinating books about powerful women who are standouts in their field who must brush off the misogyny and difficulties they face (actress in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo; singer in Daisy Jones & The Six; surfer in Malibu Rising and now tennis player). They are easy reads that pack an emotional punch.

Carrie Soto played a minor, antagonistic role in Malibu Rising, as the mistress of Nina Riva's husband. When I learned that she was getting her own book, I was thrilled. I love a good unlikeable heroine. And Carrie Soto is just that. She is a sore loser and a gloating winner, driven by a singular goal to be the greatest tennis player of all time. She makes no attempt to befriend or even be kind to her fellow competitors and believes that no man actually sees her as more than a dalliance - so she treats them the same right back. Her father, once upon a time a tennis star in his own right, was for many years her coach. In the beginning, I assumed he would be a stage parent. Driven to make her succeed due to his own failed dreams, pushing her and berating her to be the best. In fact, her father is kind and patient and repeatedly urges her to be a human and not a tennis star. It falls on deaf ears, because there is nothing Carrie wants more in life than to win.

Now 37, Carrie Soto decides to return to tennis to defend her record of winning the most titles in history from fierce up-and-comer Nicki Chan. No one believes a woman her age can do it, but no one really knows Carrie Soto. Of course, this is not only a career turning point but an emotional turning point in Carrie's life. She is back with her dad as her coach and she is paired with a past fling and fellow aging tennis champion Bowe Huntley as a training partner. If you don't know where this is going, you've never seen The Cutting Edge.

There is, unsurprisingly, a whole lot of tennis in here. I'm not a sports person, so it sometimes does get overmuch, but Reid makes sure that the tennis action is intertwined with Carrie's emotional state and journey. I would love to see Carrie Soto return in another book - I'm not ready to say goodbye to such a prickly, blunt heroine. ...more

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Mar 25, 2025 Susan rated it it was amazing

If I could give this book more stars I would. TJR has never let me down with any of her books. I put off reading this book even though I had no idea of the story line. I like to go into books blind. Especially from authors I love. IF I had known it was about tennis I would most likely have put it off longer because I hate watching or playing tennis. At first I did an inward groan when I found out it was a book about an upcoming tennis player but knowing TJR I knew she would suck me in and she di ...more

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