had really high hopes for this one based on the description, but it was kind of messy for me. If you are seeking edge of your seat thriller, look elsewhere. Don’t get me wrong this one has great character development (even though they are crazy) and I found it provoking. I’d recommend this one, but make sure you know what you are getting into. Thank you NetGalley for an opportunity to review.

You will grow to love and understand Billie in this story of life long friendship that turns out very much one sided as the girls grow up.

Female friendship isn’t a big enough theme in literature, especially thrillers, and I loved that it was part of this. Timelines were easy to understand!

This wasn’t an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but the strong emotions and motives kept me engaged. While some thrillers make you rush through pages (or in my case, listen), this one drew me in differently. Usually, backstory can be frustrating when you just want to know what happens next, but here it made me care more about the characters. Though the plot twists didn’t surprise me, I was eager to see how the opening scene played out. The ending was particularly satisfying.

On a brisk fall night in a New York apartment, 35-year-old Billie West hears terrified screams. It's her lifelong best friend Cassie Barnwell, one floor above, and she's just realized her infant daughter has gone missing. Billie is shaken as she looks down into her own arms to see the baby, remembering―with a jolt of fear―that she is responsible for the kidnapping that has instantly shattered Cassie’s world.

I'm really ashamed to admit that this was my first read by Carola Lovering, but it won't be my last! Bye, Baby was wild. I would label this as more of a domestic suspense than thriller, and the alternating timelines and multiple POVs keep you engaged and make this a quick read. I'm not going to lie, and as weird (possibly wrong) as it is, I was really rooting for Billie. While some of her actions make you wonder if she's truly okay, it's also easy to see how Cassie has done her wrong, but this was a good example of having to learn to let friendships go when they run their course. I appreciate that the ending was tied up, and I absolutely loved Alex (or should we worry about him? :D).

If you're a lover of domestic suspense and are looking for something with a childhood friendship, motherhood, secrets, and/or lies theme, I would definitely suggest this one. Be sure to check trigger warnings though.

A longtime friendship may be in jeopardy in Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering. Cassie and Billie have been friends since they were pre-teens and shared all kinds of experiences, even some that they'd rather not relive or discuss, including a traumatic incident. Now Cassie's baby has disappeared, and Billie is the one who kidnapped Cassie's infant daughter. Why did Billie commit this crime and can their friendship somehow survive after the truth is revealed?

The writing in this book draws you in. What secrets could the two women be harboring? You learn in alternating chapters of how Cassie and Billie became friends and what drew them apart. You also get a look at their lives, which no longer intersect. Cassie marries a wealthy man and spends her days posting on social media about her luxurious lifestyle, clothing brand, and upscale store in Manhattan and a soon-to-be Hamptons branch. Billie lives alone and works as a travel agent. Cassie has shut her out like she's a nuisance to her.

Although this book sounds like a thriller or mystery, I cannot say that I totally agree. I would say that it's more like a domestic drama with some suspense thrown in. It also heavily focuses on Cassie and Billie's friendship, so you really learn why it became toxic and why the women who seemed more like sisters fell apart. Each one contributes to the demise of the friendship, which includes the crazy kidnapping of Cassie's daughter by her former best friend.

One of the villains of the book, however, seemed more like a cartoon character. The actions seem a little over the top and overtly slimy. The character is absolutely threatening, but sometimes, I felt the character was too cartoonish and some of the dialogue that comes out of the character's mouth sounds ridiculous.

I think the author perfectly captured our obsession with social media, and the life of an influencer. My daughter and I watch enough beauty bloggers to know how well the author described the influencer lifestyle. I also thought the depiction of the very wealthy in New York worked, and I enjoyed the mentions of New York because they seemed pretty authentic to me. It really made you covet the prestigious lifestyle until you realize what you must give up to obtain it.

I did find the ending unrealistic, but I liked the writing enough, and how the story panned out that it didn't matter to me. I would definitely seek out another of the author's books because this book was very engaging and written in such a way that kept me interested and intrigued throughout the book.

Billie and Cassie have been friends forever, but lately have been drifting apart. I went into this thinking it was a thriller, but it was really more about friendships, growing up, and growing apart. Honestly, I didn't like either of the main characters all that much, but I still wanted to know what got them to this point in their lives and what led to them being so far apart. I would say that I liked Billie more than Cassie, though. There were different timelines, which I thought added to the story. Overall, I liked this book, just don't go into it looking for a thriller.

I am writing to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read a digital ARC of "Bye, Baby" by Carola Lovering. Although I finished reading this book after its March 5, 2024,  release, I'm only now reviewing it. I apologize for the delay in writing this review. 

Wow! What did I just read? "Bye, Baby" is a powerful story about the emotional journey into adulthood of two childhood friends, Bille and Cassie. Ms. Lovering effectively captures the complexities of female relationships, showing how they can be satisfying and whole, dependent and one-sided, develop or deteriorate over time, and how a single event can have a lasting impact on a friendship. This story is a rollercoaster of emotions, heartbreaking but also reassuring. I heartily recommend this book.



3.5/5 stars

Yeah no, again, not for me. I just don't love my books to give me heart palpitations and this one was definitely a weird sweaty palm story. And pretty messed up at times.

This was such a great mystery! Can't wait to see what the author comes out with next. Had me on the edge of my seat.

Okay, this book?!? Loved it!! It got me right from the beginning enduring me to the characters. I loved the pace of the story which had me flipping the pages unable to put it down. I loved the dual timelines flashing back and forth. It provided such a full picture of the story - which was so compelling. I thought it had the perfect amount of twists, drama and true to life experiences. It did an amazing job of calling out how complicated relationships can be and how they grow and changed. I cannot say enough about it - love love love it!!

UGHHHH i loved this. No one writes toxic relationships and friendships like Carola Lovering does. This book was fairly long but it kept me hooked throughout, the anxiety building and knowing the other shoe was going to drop at some point. I loved the development of the two main characters, both so flawed and complicated. You love and hate them both throughout the book, sometimes at the same time. That’s the mark of a perfectly written complex character for me.

Thank you to @stmartinspress for allowing me access to this book!

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
Wow, this book was really good. I read the entire book in one day because I just could not stop! The opening chapter goes right into the drama and then the book starts with Part One- the past. I was totally invested in the lives of Billie and Cassie and the friendship they had. Part Two starts off where the opening chapter left off, with the Now, and I was just as invested! I dont want to give away any spoilers but just know that you have to read this if you haven't yet!

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲
• Childhood besties
• Twisty Thrillers
• Multiple POVs
• Dual Timelines
• Friendship fallout
• Social media influencer

A thrilling novel penned by a master of her craft! I was on the edge of my seaaaat and completely captivated page by page! A thrilling and compelling novel that sent shockwaves to the senses!

Looking for a great summer thriller? Look no further than Bye, Baby. A female-forward psychological mystery that’s a true page turner.

"Bye, Baby" is tagged as a thriller, but I think that's a little misleading. There's not a big mystery to figure out. That being said, this book is a very tense domestic drama that will keep you reading just to see how all the different dramas play out. It is told in dual voices and multiple timelines which I personally love in a book. The main characters do not have a ton of redeeming qualities, but you will find yourself routing for them anyway, The ending tied up a bit too neatly for me. Overall, great writing, story development and characters.

Thank you to St. Martin Press and Netgalley for an advanced reader's copy of this book for my honest review.

I'll start by saying I thought the overall story was interesting, and how Carola rolled the backstory of Cassie and Billie into the main plot to show the build and demise of their friendship over the course of many years. I thought the premise of Billie being the one to kidnap her best friend's child was a bit unique, and I curious to see where she was going to go with the plot. While I did enjoy the story, I was honestly bouncing between mad at the main characters and annoyed with them. This story is a portrayal of a toxic friendship to a tee and shows how two people can become so codependent on one another, without even realizing it.

When the book was done, I had really hoped to feel a sense of relief or as if their story had been wrapped up in some way. Instead, I felt fed up with the characters and had a feeling, if this was real life, their toxic friendship would continue.

A good book but be forewarned you may find yourself annoyed with the characters.
Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
3.5/5 stars

This book was more than I expected it to be. Some of the plot points were a bit far fetched, but overall I enjoyed this book. I would have liked to have some follow up after the e events to know whether or not one particular couple made it.

Great read - a thriller that is hard to put down as well as a great story of complex female friendships and the ways social media invades our relationships.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This really is a phenomenal domestic thriller and I am kicking myself for not getting to it sooner. It kept me at the edge of my seat, Lovering's every word like a knife perfectly weilded.