Chapter summaries Carrie Soto Is Back Taylor Jenkins Reid

Carrie Soto Is Back Chapter 32: August 1995 – Two Weeks Before the US Open

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Carrie Soto pushes herself through sprints on the practice court, now ranked 12th in the world after her Wimbledon run. Her father Javier observes a new freedom in her play and her attitude. He admits he will not be able to travel to New York for the US Open because of his health, forcing Carrie to confront his mortality. When she asks what it would mean if she does not win, Javier insists that the outcome does not matter to him—only her happiness. He then brings up Bowe Hutchins, noting that Bowe is in love with her and accepts being a lesser player. Javier urges Carrie to open her heart, confessing that he taught her to bury her feelings after her mother died. That afternoon, Bowe beats Carrie in a practice set and resists Javier’s advice to change his stance. Carrie invites Bowe to stay for dinner. Bowe cooks, they play chess, and he spends the night. The next morning, Carrie wakes to find her father’s house still dark. She enters and discovers Javier dead on his sofa.

Key Events

  • Carrie trains relentlessly, now ranked 12th in the world.
  • Javier notes she seems freer since Wimbledon and tells her he cannot travel to the US Open.
  • Carrie asks what happens if she loses; Javier says winning or losing does not matter to him.
  • Javier confronts Carrie about her fear of love, referencing Bowe’s feelings for her.
  • Bowe defeats Carrie in their practice set and rejects Javier’s advice on his footwork.
  • Carrie invites Bowe to stay for dinner, then overnight.
  • The next morning, Carrie finds Javier dead.

Character Development

Carrie Soto – She begins to lower her emotional defenses. She asks her father hard questions about loss, allows herself to feel grief, and chooses to let Bowe stay. Her vulnerability grows even as her competitive drive remains. Javier Soto – He shifts from coach to father, admitting that his own teachings about emotional toughness were misguided. He prioritizes Carrie’s capacity for love over her tennis record, revealing his own long-buried pain. Bowe Hutchins – He demonstrates patience and respect. He pushes back on Javier’s coaching advice, showing confidence in his own game, and he accepts Carrie’s invitation without pressure.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Vulnerability as strength – The chapter frames emotional openness as a form of courage, something Carrie has avoided her entire career.
  • Father-daughter legacy – Javier passes on not just tennis skill but also a flawed emotional blueprint; now he tries to correct it.
  • Mortality and grief – The looming shadow of Javier’s death forces Carrie to confront impermanence, both in sport and in life.
  • The home court vs. the outside world – The controlled space of the practice court contrasts with the uncontrollable reality of loss.

Why This Chapter Matters

This is the emotional turning point of the novel. Carrie begins to integrate the personal with the professional just as she faces the ultimate loss of her father. It sets up the psychological stakes for the US Open and redefines what winning really means for her.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Javier say he does not care if Carrie wins the US Open?
    He explains that the wins were never the point for him; he only cares about her well-being and capacity for joy. His truth is that her happiness matters more than any record.

  2. What does Javier acknowledge when he says he taught Carrie the wrong thing?
    He admits that after her mother’s death, he showed Carrie how to bury her heart rather than open it. He now encourages her to let love in, even at the risk of pain.

  3. How does Carrie’s discovery of her father’s body affect the momentum of the story?
    The final image of Javier dead shatters any hopeful buildup from the chapter. It creates immediate grief and uncertainty about how Carrie will handle the upcoming tournament without her father’s presence.

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