I loved this book. The intensity of the character development for Carrie is like no other book I’ve ever read. She is complex – losing her mother at a young age and becoming the focus of her father’s days creates a woman whose only purpose in life is to become a winning machine.

Those readers who love tennis will thoroughly enjoy the book but rest assured there is way more to this book than tennis. In fact, one of the things I loved most about the book is the mutual respect between Carrie and her father Javier. This relationship is not only one of father and daughter but also one of coach and player. This team sacrifices any sort of normal life for the love of the game and the thrill of being the best.

Carrie is not a friendly person. Aside from her father, she has no one else in her life. She keeps to herself in the locker room, can dish out the trash talk with ferocity, and focuses on her opponent’s weaknesses. Dubbed “the battle-axe” by the media, she’s laser-focused on her goals and may no one get in her way.

Her decision to come out of retirement is solely based on maintaining her status as the greatest tennis player of all time. It’s been five years since an injury forced her retirement. At age 37, her body is not as resilient as it once was. Encouraged to have a training partner that will bring her back to the elite level, her father hires Bowe Huntley who Carrie had a relationship years ago. She needs convincing to let this man back in her life, but in the end, knows that this is a good move for her game. The relationship that Carrie and Bowe build over time has Carrie seeing life after tennis for the first time.

Carrie Soto is Back is an emotional, well-written book that explores the personalities behind competitive sports. Despite the brusque, rude nature of Carrie’s persona to the outside world, you cannot help but cheer this woman on. I loved Carrie’s personal development as the book progresses. You don’t need to be a fan of tennis to thoroughly enjoy this book.