With a deep love for fiction, reading a good book is never as straightforward as it seems. When I thoroughly enjoy a novel, it signifies the start of a journey. My initial move is to read another book by that same author. If that goes well, another one it is. Eventually, you hit a point where you start to feel connected to the author in one way or another. Their writing becomes familiar and comforting while, at the same time, they provide a brand new experience and journey with each story digested.
This is where reading for fun develops layers. It is how passion and excitement around reading take full shape. Just as with music or other art forms, authors cultivate fans. Being a consistent fan of an author and their work is what fuels me. Therefore, as an avid reader, there are certain authors I like to keep a close eye on. They are the ones who I diligently stay up to date with because I am eager to witness the growth and success of their careers. One of these predominant authors in my life of reading is Taylor Jenkins Reid.
My Journey Through TJR Bestsellers
Daisy Jones & the Six
The first TJR book I read was Daisy Jones & The Six. It kept popping up on my socials and catching my eye in bookstores. When I finally picked it up and read the back summary, I couldn’t have been more eager to dive in. The fiction novel is about the rise and fall of a rock and roll band in the ’70s and takes place in Los Angeles, California. But it isn’t just the badass, messy, and highly entertaining plot that hooked me. It is the style it is written in that blew me away and made me wonder who the hell Taylor Jenkins Reid is.
This story is purely written in interview form, with dialogue from each band member separately. It felt like reading an autobiography of a real band. It was a way of writing in the first person that allows the reader to experience each character’s perspectives. And it highlights the reality that there are multiple sides to every story. Needless to say, once I finished, I was ready for another TJR novel.
Malibu Rising
Luckily for me, immediately after finishing Daisy Jones & The Six, I found out that Reid had just released a new novel. Last year, while I was walking around the West Village in Manhatten, New York, on a sunny June day, I came across a bookstore with some copies of Malibu Rising propped in the window. The best part was that I wasn’t the only new fan walking in to get the new release. While excitedly purchasing the book, I met a fellow reader who was in the same boat as me.
It’s just another reason why I love being a book nerd. Connections are destined to be made all around. Malibu Rising ended up being a perfect summer read. Set in the ’80s, it is about four famous surfer siblings in Malibu, California. It felt like watching an old reality TV show with hilarious side characters and lots of family drama. I started to understand Reid’s skill at getting her readers to step into a different time as well as creating characters that feel incredibly real.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
The next step in my relationship with TJR novels was a given. I knew I had to read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It is Reid’s most successful book with over 1 million copies sold. Any fellow bookworm and TJR fan I talked to told me it was a true one-of-a-kind novel, which I can officially agree with. It is a book about love, shame, lies, manipulation, oppression, perseverance, family, and heartache. And then some. The layers are endless.
I thought I had a fraction of an idea of what the book was going to be about going into it, but I couldn’t have been more taken aback and thrown for a loop. Summarizing this story would take the time and energy of an entire blog post itself. So, for now, I am just going to kindly tell you that the longer you wait to read it the more you are depriving yourself of top-tier fictional literature entertainment!
Carrie Soto Is Back – The New Release
Now, with these three previously mentioned novels under my belt, I had officially crossed the threshold from intrigued reader to loyal fan. This leads me to the excitement that had been building up for various months as I awaited Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest release, Carrie Soto Is Back, which just came out on Aug. 30, 2022. From the moment she announced she was writing this book, I was practicing my patience.
I know the dangers of over-excitement. I am fully aware of the potential of a letdown. It rarely ever stops me from relishing in the build-up of expectations and anticipation for the work of someone I respect. However, as with any fan experience, there are times when you are disappointed in your idol’s projects. Thankfully for me, this was not one of those times. In fact, it was the complete opposite. Carrie Soto Is Back is my favorite book I have read by TJR. I am ready to write in stone that she is a powerfully influential and talented fiction writer.
The protagonist and narrator, Carrie Soto, is a professional athlete in the WTA. Taking place in Southern California, the story spans her life from childhood to adulthood. Just as with her other novels, Reid writes books that are set in past eras. Carrie Soto takes place in the ’70s, moves throughout the ’80s, and ends in the mid-’90s. It incorporates the birth, growth, death, and rebirth of her tennis career with an emphasis on her comeback after retirement. Prior to reading this book, I had little to no interest in the sport of tennis. I was slightly nervous going into Soto’s story for fear I wouldn’t be able to connect to it. But here I am, feeling like a die-hard tennis fan with all the knowledge and respect in the world for the sport. Throughout my reading, I was fully invested in the training and coaching. I was on the edge of my seat for every match.
Carrie Soto is tough. She is blunt and overbearing. The full range of emotions she experiences and expresses is rather limited. Yet, she is authentic. She doesn’t try to be disingenuous by forcing kindness. She stays true to herself despite being unfavored by others because of it. Her story embodies the concept that when you are true to who you are, the right people will see you and love you for it. Carrie Soto believes in herself with a confidence that is mind-boggling at times because she goes against the grain of what we are told in life about confidence. The way the world can feel so threatened by confident and powerful women, Carrie Soto is our heroine. As we go along her journey with her, experience her revelations and support her as she slowly learns how to find comfort in her failures just as much as her successes.
This book influenced me in a way that almost felt therapeutic. It is a book about family, specifically her relationship with her father who is also her coach. Among the other underlying themes are ego, determination, self-worth, vulnerable introspection, and evolution. I cried. And not just watery eyes or a tear drop down the cheek. I ugly cried. I cannot think of another book that has made me do that. I am still trying to process the fact that Carrie Soto is not a real person and in fact just a fictional character. I feel deeply connected to her and I learned a lot through her. For that and for TJR’s storytelling skills, I am grateful.
Starting Your Own TJR Journey
Now, I have yet to mention one of the ways in which TJR keeps her books intertwined with one another. In all four of these novels, despite taking place in different eras, there are overlapping characters and plots. Certain characters appear in all her books. Whether they are brief appearances or mentions, their presence in each book is just enough to create one elongated storyline and one world within all her writings. It has become Reid’s signature. If you are interested in diving into some TJR bestsellers, I recommend going in the following order:
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
- Daisy Jones & The Six
- Malibu Rising
- Carrie Soto Is Back
These are her four most popular novels with overlapping plots and characters. However, she does have four additional books that came out prior to these works. I don’t doubt that I will be reading them at one point.
Are you a fellow TJR reader? If so, what is your take on her work? Leave a comment with your favorite novel from the author or the book you are most looking forward to reading!