I really enjoyed Carola Lovering’s Tell Me Lies, Too Good to be True, and Can’t Look Away. This book is also well-written but the two main characters are completely frustrating and dislikable. Lifelong friends Billie and Cassie are now in their 30’s living in NYC. Their friendship has deteriorated to the point where Cassie didn’t invite Billie to her 35th birthday party. Billie makes a terrible decision (one of many) that causes irreparable trauma to Cassie. We learn about many different issues Billie and Cassie experienced growing up. Billie and Cassie are deeply flawed characters who make unfathomable decisions throughout the book. I’m disappointed with this one and hope that Carola Lovering’s next book will be more like her first three. Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

((4.5 / 5.0) Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering was a bingeable thriller I could not put down. In it we meet Cassie and Billie, two childhood friends who have drifted apart in adulthood. Billie longs to reconnect, but Cassie is in her own world of Instagram influencing, motherhood, and socialite life. One night something tragic happens with Cassie and it catapults these friends back together. I suggest knowing little more on plot, though you can see more in the publisher’s description.

Let’s talk mood instead, to help you know if the book is for you. It’s fast-paced and alternating POV, along with alternating timelines. There isn’t a crime to solve as a reader, you know what’s happening because of the POVs, so the tension comes from the secrets being kept and if / when they will come to light. At the center of the story is a toxic friendship and a few snobby, elitist characters. The story has closure in the end and is a quick, entertaining read.

This one doesn’t come out until next year, but I also enjoyed the author’s prior book, Can’t Look Away, and would recommend it as well. I’m going to try her other backlist books, too, so let me know if you recommend any.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the complimentary, early copy – it was an exciting read!

Content warnings: child abuse, sexual assault (with a few descriptive scenes), kidnapping, toxic friendship

Thank you net galley and publisher for this ARC! I’ve read every book by Carola Lovering and this book was great. I couldn’t put the book down once I started it. Initially I found the alternating chapters and timeline a little confusing but then I got used to it. I found it interesting to learn more about the girl’s complicated relationship and past and I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen.

Cassie and Billie were childhood best friends, but now as adults, they have drifted apart and have both desperately tried to forget the past and a secret they both share.

Cassie is now a mother, a business owner, and a social media influencer. Billie is single, childless and no longer fits into Cassie’s world. Tired of constantly being rejected by Cassie, Billie does the unthinkable and takes Cassie’s infant daughter, until she realizes the mistake she’s made in doing so and secretly returns her. Now Billie must try to hide the truth about what really happened the night Cassie’s baby was kidnapped and that it was her who did it all along.

Bye, Baby is a suspenseful and realistic story about an unhealthy, obsessive friendship. This book had a lot of hot mess moments where you felt the need to look away but couldn’t. I thought the author gave an interesting look into the dark and toxic side of influencer culture, along with toxic friendship dynamics that were frustrating yet entertaining.

I liked that this book was told in alternating perspectives between Cassie and Billie from both the past and present, so you could see both sides of their story. I actually felt for Billie the most, as Cassie had a lot of VERY unlikable moments. Throughout the entire book, all I could think was how much Billie deserved better.

Thank you to St Martins Press for this ARC!

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

I highly recommend this book. It’s probably the best one I’ve read in a long time. I loved the whole idea of long time friendships from childhood though adults, and the very complicated journey throughout. It wasn’t sappy and everything didn’t end in a neat little bow. The author lets you know the two main characters deeply. I really appreciated that.
Thanks to Netgalley for sharing this excellent book.

There were many times throughout the book I wanted Billie to do something differently. Yet I couldn’t stop reading to find out how it would resolve. Cassie’s ambition & lifestyle reminded me of the Kardashians and how I can be equally annoyed and sucked in. Ultimately I didn’t end up liking either Billie or Cassie but I was relieved by the ending.

I was kindly offered an advanced digital copy and it sounded right up my alley. I love best friends drama and I like the social influencer trope. For some reason I thought this was a thriller (until halfway through the book), then I checked it and found it linked as women’s fiction. I believe it has tendencies to be both.

The characters were really strong as well as the sound side characters. Even the ones you want to hate. I found it easy to follow, I love this kind of story. So yeah, full points from me.

I liked that Billie did not want to give in to the pressure of having to have children. I wouldn't say I like the pressure of society, that they assume everyone lives to be a mother. If you do, that’s awesome and I respect you. But I made my own choice by not wanting any. So I get Billie. I love that this topic is being raised. There is nothing wrong with having kids, same as with not wanting to have any.
I could also relate to the longing for your best friend's attention when you feel they slip away from you. Such a relatable book for me in many ways.

This was my first time reading a novel by Carola Lovering, and I have to say, I was really sucked in! The prologue captured me like no other.

I loved the nonlinear, multi-narrator timeline, with Billie and Cassie’s “now” POV, along with Billie’s “then” POV. I found a lot of aspects to be utterly intriguing, including Billie’s obsession with Cassie, Cassie’s addiction to social media/influencing, and the budding relationship between Billie and Alex, who just so happens to be a cop, assisting with the investigation.

There were a few aspects that I wish were different, including the length of the book (it felt very long at some parts), and the ending (it seemed a little too happily ever after for a thriller in my opinion).

However, don’t let that stop you from picking up this book! Now that I know I like her writing style, I’m eager to pick up her previous bestselling novel, Tell Me Lies!

carola is queen at taking something we’ve all been through & creating a bingeworthy story out of it. bye, baby propulsively dissects the nuances of drifting away from an imbalanced, yet intoxicating friendship. with each new book, i feel like i’m growing with carola.

I sat down and read this whole book straight through. I couldn’t stop reading about this friendship (though it can only be described as a toxic one). It reminded me of Firefly Lane, if it was set up as part psychological thriller and part women’s fiction. The commentary on motherhood and female friendships as we age was poignant and intriguing. The intersection of this and how social media and influencers can warp our perception and show us only the highlight reel definitely made me think. 4/5 stars.

HOLY WHIZZ! I loved this story SO much! I knew I needed to read it after LOVE LOVE LOVING Tell Me Lies. This was such an amazing read - it was fast, it captivated me and each page left me wanting more. It was Brilliant and I adored this one SO much! 5 Stars

Wow, this book was not what I expected but in the best way! Told through alternating people and times times, a story of a complex friendship and the ties that bind them. Loved this book and flew through it in a day!

Carola Lovering's best yet! If I had the time to binge it I would have! I loved the alternating POVs and timelines! A true suspense novel about toxic friendship done right. Highly recommend!

This is a tale of obsession and friendship. Billie and her best friend Cassie are tied to one another by history. Now that Cassie has a husband and a child Billie feels very left behind. Billie will do anything to hold onto Cassie, and their story, told in alternating points of view, create a suspenseful toxic friendship story that will keep you reading into late in the night. Well plotted, intriguing and unique, this is a domestic thriller that you will remember! If you love a twisty thriller, have a childhood friend that holds your secrets or just want a more unique a authentic look at contemporary motherhood, Bye, Baby is for you! #STMartins #ByeBaby #CarolaLovering

4.5 stars.

I loved this! Lovering does an amazing job writing characters you love to hate!! I felt so much hate for CASSIE, MCKAY and definitely Wade!

I felt so bad for Billie. I wanted her to just do better and realize that she deserved a better friend. I absolutely loved Alex! This is a book you will start and won’t be able to put down until you finished. I have stayed up way past my bedtime to get this done.

A thrilling novel with interesting characters. It's a great story about friendships, motherhood, marriage and so much more. I really enjoyed this one and am adding all other Carola Lovering books to my TBR list!

This was my first book by this author and I’m still not sure how I feel about it, to be honest. I thought there was going to be some kind of psychological component from the description of the book, but either way, I couldn’t put it down and finished it in just under 4 1/2 hours. I enjoyed hating Cassidy and mourning the loss for Billie, and yet, she’s not blameless for what happened. I’m not sure how to feel about the ending, but at least it all wrapped up!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the copy of Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering. This book is categorized as “Women’s Fiction” but it was a really suspenseful read, so thriller lovers won’t be bored!
I loved Lovering’s writing style and it got me invested in the book right away. I don’t think any of the characters were likable, but they were interesting, especially if you like books about influencers and social media. The story will keep you in suspense wondering why Billie and Cassie are no longer friends and why Billie is desperate to hold on to the childhood friendship while Cassie is trying to get out of it. I didn't really love the ending because it was kind of an anticlimax but in general I really enjoyed this book. 4.5stars rounded up to 5.

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering. Not all books have happy endings. The book is very well written with the topics the book deals with.