If you had to name one author who’s cracked the code of writing a popular book, chances are Taylor Jenkins Reid’s name would pop up in conversation. Every year, must-read roundups and summer holiday reading lists feature Reid’s novels, and with good reason: they’re deliciously dramatic, downright original, and have just the right amount of romantic complexity to make your mind tick for hours after closing a chapter.

As well as her talent for spinning a glittering tale, Reid’s literary output has been nothing short of prolific. In the nine years since her debut, the New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter has published seven novels, including 2019’s acclaimed Daisy Jones & The Six, which details the rise and fall of a Fleetwood Mac-esque rock band from the 70s, and is currently being adapted by Reese Witherspoon’s production company into a limited series for Amazon. Last summer’s hit Malibu Rising, meanwhile, follows a famous, dysfunctional Hollywood family over the course of one life-changing night, and is set to be adapted as a Hulu television series.

But fans of Reid’s work will be pleased to know that the author isn’t slowing down any time soon. Today, Stylist can exclusively reveal that Reid is returning this summer with a brand new novel, Carrie Soto Is Back.

Published in hardback, eBook and audio on 30 August 2022, Carrie Soto Is Back is a novel of ambition, rivalry and female icons, which sees the beloved character return for one epic final season. 

“Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular,” reads the official synopsis. “But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach. Javier – a former champion himself – has trained her since the age of two.

“But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan.

“At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked the “Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.”

“I am thrilled to be able to release Carrie Soto Is Back with Hutchinson Heineman,” says Jenkins Reid. “Carrie Soto has a soft spot for London and a preternatural skill on the grass courts of Wimbledon – so I’m especially excited to share the story with UK readers.”

Here, to celebrate the announcement, Jenkins Reid discusses the inspiration behind Carrie Soto Is Back, her writing routine, and what the novel holds in store for readers. 

S: What was the inspiration behind your new book?

TJR: Carrie Soto originated in my last novel, Malibu Rising. She is the woman who has an affair with Nina Riva’s husband – which isn’t a spoiler, it’s right there in the first chapter of the book. Carrie Soto was in the story from the beginning of that book for me. But it wasn’t until I got to the end of my edits on Malibu, that I realised I wanted to write about Carrie next. There was something so delicious about her. She’s rough and exacting and intense but also very vulnerable and very raw. I wanted to see what would happen if we revisited Carrie – and instead of seeing her when she’s at the top of her game like she is in 1983 in Malibu Rising, we see her when she’s trying to forge a comeback at the age of 37 in 1995.

Who is Carrie Soto once she’s no longer sure she’s the best?

S: What message do you hope readers will take from the book?

TJR: Every character I write challenges me to take another look at certain assumptions I’ve made about people. So I’m always eager to hear how my characters affect readers differently. With this one, I will say that it will be interesting to hear what people think of Carrie, her journey, and where it takes her. I like Carrie very much, but I don’t think you need to like Carrie in order to enjoy this story. So I’m curious to see how people sort their feelings about her.

S: Do you have a routine when it comes to writing?

TJR: I used to! But then I had a kid in 2016 and the pandemic in 2020 and everything got thrown out the window. The first and second drafts of this book were written in the spring and summer of 2020, when we were in full lockdown and I had no formal childcare. So it became this thing I did in my few hours a day when I was off duty. The idea for this book thrilled me from the very beginning and I just had this sense that writing it would be joyful. And that turned out to be true. It was a bright spot during a crazy time. And spending time with Carrie was a wonderful escape.

S: Do you have any moments of self-doubt, and if so, is there anything you tell yourself?

TJR: Every hour. What I tell myself is “Don’t go on Goodreads.” And that seems to help! I’m a born and bred people pleaser and I’ve chosen a job where it would be impossible to please everyone – so I’ve manifested my own nightmare. But I’ve found some peace in knowing that 1.) I’m not the best writer in the world and 2.) I’m not the worst writer in the world, either. So that means I have to get to my desk each day and try to get better with every book. In that way, the self-doubt is a tool. It is the push I need to write a better sentence today than yesterday. As Carrie would say, “If you’re not good enough, get better.” So that’s how I try to meet self-doubt. With determination.

S: Carrie Soto has a soft spot for London – do you have any favourite places here?

TJR: Ah, I love London with my whole soul. I’ve been blessed to have popped into quite a few London bookstores over the years and I’m always blown away by how many great ones you have, with such personality to them. But if I had to pick one place in London that I love above all the others, I’m going to have to say God’s Own Junkyard. It was one of the coolest places I got to visit on my tour for Daisy Jones & The Six and it is absolutely one of the most unique and memorable places I’ve been. I cannot wait to come back and discover even more.

Carrie Soto Is Back (£16.99, Cornerstone) is available to pre-order now

Images: Deborah Feingold; Getty