Carola Lovering’s Bye, Baby is a tense, addictive thriller that dives deep into the messy realities of female friendship. Billie and Cassie were once inseparable, but adulthood has pushed them apart—Cassie now has a wealthy husband, a baby, and a picture-perfect influencer life, while Billie feels left behind. But when Cassie’s infant daughter goes missing, and Billie is the one holding her, their fractured relationship takes a dark, twisted turn.

Told in alternating perspectives, the novel explores obsession, loyalty, and the secrets that bind us. Lovering nails the complicated dynamics of long-term friendships—the love, the resentment, and the desperation to hold on to the past. The tension is razor-sharp, and as the story unfolds, it’s impossible to look away.

If you love slow-burning psychological thrillers with complex, flawed characters (think The Push or Little Secrets), this one’s for you. It’s not just a mystery—it’s a deep dive into how friendships evolve, how childhood trauma lingers, and how far someone might go to reclaim what they’ve lost. Chilling, emotional, and impossible to put down.

I absolutely loved this book and @carolatlovering is one of my favorite authors.

I actually read this one months ago as soon as I got it I had to read it. It’s an addictive book that will keep you turning the pages while shaking your head. I promise you will love every minute of it. This was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.

Thank you so much @stmartinspress for this amazing box and I LOVE the Baird College sweat shirt. Tell me Lies is one of my favorite shows I’ve ever seen. Can’t wait to wear this. Also, if you haven’t seen that show yet definitely check it out on Hulu and pick up the book too!

I have read another book by Carola Lovering so I was very excited to receive this ARC. There is so much drama packed into this novel. A novel about friendships and decisions that lead to other decisions. It is full of domestic drama and at first you don't like Billie but come to realize why she makes the decisions she does.

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering is a domestic thriller that hooks you early with its dark secrets and complicated friendships but ultimately doesn’t fully deliver on its promising premise. The story centers around the toxic dynamic between two lifelong friends, exploring themes of envy, betrayal, and the blurred lines between love and obsession. Lovering is skilled at digging into messy, emotional relationships, and that’s where the novel shines.

The pacing is solid, with enough twists and turns to keep you turning the pages, and the exploration of female friendship—especially the jealousy and competition that can sometimes lurk beneath the surface—feels raw and authentic. However, where Bye, Baby stumbles is in its character development. Both protagonists are deeply flawed, which can make for an interesting read, but at times their actions feel more driven by plot convenience than genuine motivation.

The ending, while unexpected, felt a bit rushed and left some threads hanging, which might leave some readers unsatisfied. Still, Lovering’s writing is engaging, and if you enjoy thrillers about complex friendships with a dark edge, this one might be worth a try.

Not perfect, but a quick, bingeable read for fans of domestic suspense.

This one kept me reading for two days straight. It's a tale of obsessive friendship and secrets from the past.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press & Netgalley for providing me am ARC of this novel.

This wasn't as much a thriller book as it was a book about a very toxic relationship. Still, I wasn't sure how the story would go so I was on my seat the entire time. It was a very interesting read though, and I really liked the book, even if I didn't like the characters as much. LOL

I am no sure why i requested this one, if I did, but it was not my cup of tea. I know many love books like this but I am not one of them. Thansk to Netgalley and the publisher

If you love books with toxic friendships then Bye, Baby is for you.

I was really looking forward to this book as it is marketed as a thriller which I think was not the right genre to classify this novel. While there was a bit of mystery/suspense in Bye, Baby it was very mild and slightly boring. While overall, I enjoyed the premise of the book, I did not love it like I wanted to.

This book presents an intriguing exploration of friendship and the significant consequences of seemingly small decisions. It delves deeply into the nuances of relationships, illustrating how even the smallest choices can have profound ripple effects on the lives of the characters.

I anticipated a more intriguing outcome, expecting dramatic twists or high-stakes scenarios. However, the narrative took a different approach, focusing on the quiet yet meaningful moments that shape the characters' lives. While this subtle storytelling style was satisfying in its own way, it left me with a sense of flatness. The lack of dramatic tension or climactic resolution may not appeal to everyone, but the story's strength lies in its portrayal of the beauty of ordinary moments.

Overall, this book offers a thoughtful and relatable narrative, highlighting the depth of friendships and the impact of our everyday choices. It may not deliver the grandiose excitement some readers seek, but it excels in its exploration of the human experience through understated and profound storytelling.

I actually had an advance readers copy from NetGalley for this book, but forgot about it. What a huge regret.

Bye, Baby follows two best friends Cassidy and Billie. There childhood, venture into adulthood, and an estranged friendship.

It’s a dual point of view and timelines from the past to present day.

The story was realistic, definitely for leaving people who belong in the past where they’re supposed to be.

I was so nervous wondering what was going to happen next. The author did a great job weaving all the characters, their dynamics and friendships in this book.

I can’t wait to read more by Carola Lovering.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
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Billie West and Cassie Barnwell have been friends since they met the summer before seventh grade. They grew up in a small town that they both want out of, for different reasons. The story of their friendship covers twenty-three years and secrets, lies, and love. The story Bye, Baby goes back and forth, in Billie and Cassie's voices and in time getting to the place where the story starts, Cassie's baby is missing and Billie is holding the missing baby.

The story of Bye, Baby explores the complexities of life and female friendship.

This one is a page turner. Two friends who stayed friends after high school until a misjudgement tears them apart. Great read and the ending was a good ending. No questioning just closure!

Gave this a whirl and I couldn't get into it so putting it back on the metaphorical shelf. Carola Lovering really understands how to build suspense and she's great at writing frenemies, but I thought the two main female characters were self-absorbed and insipid.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

Really enjoyed! Definitely a unique thriller with some interesting characters and I felt like I never knew what was going to happen next - my heart was racing at times!

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

After reading Too Good To Be True, I made a note to keep my eye out for Carola Lovering books. So when I was offered Bye, Baby, I didn’t hesitate to accept the Netgalley widget.

However, apparently I hesitated to read it since it’s been in my Netgalley queue for some time.

So I started it and I have to say I did like it, but I was also like ”
WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY” some of the time!

Toxic friendship books can be hit and miss for me and this….. well, I’m not really sure how to classify it.

We’ve all had friendships that were crazy intense- and this was how this book started off being- these ladies had a crazy intense friendship and something happened that bonded them further; but then they started drifting apart and it was NOT a mutual drifting.

A few things you should know about me so my reaction to this book makes sense:

If you are repeatedly lying to me, girl bye!
Using your baby as an excuse all the time is not cool.
I will cut my own nose off to spite my face some times.
So I got Billie’s obsession with Cassie, but I didn’t truly get it. Girl, YOU have a pretty fantastic life (traveling all the time)

And Cassie- well at times she was so one dimensional, it wasn’t funny.

Kinda unsure if there was supposed to feel like a social commentary on women having kids vs not having kids vibe- but that seemed to be a point in the story that was hammered on a decent bit.

I am NOT anti-child nor a believer in just because you are a woman, you should be a mom. I am a believer in that you can think/expect to be a mom and then one day decide you don’t want to for whatever reason. And vice-versa, you can be all UGH about other people’s kids and want a ton of your own.

There were so many places in the book that I was literally all “No, don’t do that. For the love of everything, DO not be this unhinged.” It would be like a train wreck- I wanted to look away and yet, I had to know what would happen next.

What I liked:

The cover! I loved that.

How the story was laid out- I like flashbacks and those really helped to explain how the friendship got so crazy in current time.

The brief and shining time frame that I thought this book might turn into a thriller-ish type book.

Bottom line: If books about toxic friendships are your jam, then this book will work for you. It floated somewhere between 2.5 stars and 3 for me!



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

Carola Lovering’s Bye, Baby is a deliciously dark exploration of obsession, motherhood, and the messiness of modern relationships, all served with a twist of suspense. This novel hits you with the kind of emotional intensity that makes you question whether you’d trust anyone—even the people you love most.

The story revolves around the lives of two women, Heather and Sarah, whose paths cross in the most unexpected of ways. Heather is grappling with a past that refuses to stay buried, while Sarah is navigating the chaotic waters of motherhood and the unraveling of her marriage. The tension between them slowly builds, and as secrets unravel, the line between victim and villain blurs.

Lovering’s writing is sharp, compelling, and cleverly structured, weaving in alternating perspectives that reveal more than just the surface drama. The alternating viewpoints keep the suspense bubbling under the surface, creating an almost irresistible urge to keep reading. The pacing is tight, and the plot twists—oh, the twists!—are both satisfying and unsettling in all the right ways.

Heather and Sarah’s characters are both flawed in fascinating ways, with motivations that are complex and sometimes contradictory. It’s not so much about rooting for them as it is about understanding them, even when you want to shake them for their bad choices. The emotional depth in Bye, Baby is impressive, and the tension between the characters feels real, like watching a train wreck in slow motion (in a good way, of course).

While the ending may leave some readers craving just a bit more resolution, it’s still an addictive, thought-provoking thriller. If you like your psychological drama with a side of chilling unpredictability, Bye, Baby will hit the spot. Just maybe don’t start reading it right before bed—trust me, you’ll be up all night.

Bye, Baby is a whodunit, yet we know exactly from the beginning. The “how we got to this point” was much better than everything that happened once the truth was out there.

This is my first read from Carola Lovering. Its told in alternating perspectives, Bye, Baby confronts the myriad ways friendships change and evolve over time, the lingering echoes of childhood trauma, and the impact of women’s choices on their lifelong relationships.

Many thanks to Netgalley for introducing my to a new author. This book captures the complicated nature of women's relationships and choices.

I thought this book would be more of a suspense or thriller book so I was a bit disappointed to find out it was more of a domestic drama. The storyline was okay, but I didn’t find it great.

I thought this was engaging and suspenseful. The format with alternating POV with two female main characters kept things fresh and interesting. maybe could have been 50 ish pages shorter but i still enjoyed start to finish.