This is a case of I was expecting something a bit different, but still got a book that was well written and was driven 100% by the characters that were more toxic than anything. I thought this was going to be more of a thriller, but it seemed to be a horrifying depiction of women and motherhood. Domestic drama with a dark twist?

Bye, Baby is a story of friendship, family and what happens when the people in your life no longer fit into the mold you've created for yourself. We start the book with someone taking a baby. Then we continue the journey as we follow two friends, Cassie and Billie as they navigate their lives in the past and present. They were two friends that grew up together and went through a lot in their teen and college lives only to end up as more acquaintances as the years go by and as their lives change.

I was really intrigued by the premise and was curious to see where the story would take us. Lovering always does such an amazing job at giving us characters that are questionable. I continuously wonder who I'm supposed to like or root for. Because the main characters are both so darn questionable in their actions. And Cassie and Billie or no different. Cassie is an influencer and new mom and her life revolves around her phone and posting all the 'latest and greatest'. She is wealthy and has the friends, home, husband, child and life to prove it. Life couldn't be better. Billie meanwhile is childless, traveling and enjoying what her unmarried life has given her. She may not seem as "successful" as Cassie and she may not have children like Cassie and her friends, but she still sees her lifelong friend as such. But does Billie want what Cassie has? What will she do to get it?

Bye, Baby was more of a women's domestic drama with a small side of mystery that stemmed from a past that bled into the present. It's what connected the two women. And as we read the story and understand the past, we begin to piece together why Cassie and Billie kept the connection for as long as they did. The beginning of the story was a little slow for me, but once I got through the first quarter, I blew through the rest. Seeing how these women behaved was quite disturbing yet entertaining. I loved the way Carola Lovering really dove into who these characters were, but honestly wished we got more of a thriller aspect. That's the only reason I rated it 3.5 (rounded down).

With all that said, I think I connected with Billie the most, even if her actions and lies led her to losing what she thought she cared about most. It was complicated though. Most of the women were truly awful, but having those strong feelings towards them is what made the story compelling and for me to keep flipping those pages to get to the end. Was it satisfying? Yes. Was it well written? Also, yes. I just wanted there to be more of a thriller/suspense aspect. If you go in with no preconceived notions of a thriller, then I think this would hit all the marks. Especially if you enjoy unlikable characters.

TW: Graphic sexual abuse, Rape

Billie’s and Cassie’s lives have been intertwined since they were teens. But as they grew older, they drifted apart despite being connected by a traumatic past. Sometimes secrets bring people together, sometimes they force them apart, but they always tie people together.

This story is told from a dual-POV and multiple timelines. The author did a good job at writing characters that were difficult to like. I did like Billie more by the end though, and that was an interesting journey to go on. I wasn’t expecting that to be the case, but I enjoyed how someone could make such an awful decision and that the author could convince me to see where she was coming from.

This work is also character-driven rather than plot-driven, which made for an interesting read. It did slow down the story overall and kept it from feeling like a thriller, but it was still enjoyable. There were many darker themes explored in this story. I think there were almost too many as it bogged down the primary plot, but it did help to explore the characters’ pasts and their motivations, so it’s difficult to say.

If you like slow burn psychological suspense/mysteries you’ll probably enjoy this one. DO NOT read the GR blurb if you’re planning on reading this one as it gives away too much. My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this work, which will be published March 5, 2024. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book had me stressed and on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. I enjoyed this a lot more than Tell Me Lies, and feel like they both fall Into the category of “social commentary” rather than thriller or romance or anything else really. I thought the way that the relationship between both Cassie and Billie was portrayed was really relatable for anyone who has ever been in that type of dynamic. You really feel all of the emotions the different characters are feeling. I think some of the flashbacks could have been pared down but maybe that’s just me. Overall really enjoyed this and would recommend

The start of Bye, Baby had a lot of promise. The first chapter grabbed me but then the rest of the book was pretty stagnant. The format of switching between present day and the past of Billie and Cassie worked well but by the end I hated both characters, especially Cassie.

Bye, Baby touched on some topics that resonated with me, especially being judged for choosing to not have children.

Overall Bye, Baby was an ok read. I thought Ella’s disappearance was going to be more complex but it wasn’t. This is the story of how Billie and Cassie grow apart (which is really for the best). The ending worked but after allll of what happened it felt weird. I don’t know how to describe it. I wouldn’t call it a let down but it seemed too easy might be the best way to put it.

A friendship between Billie and Cassie that started in lower school was cemented forever with an incident that resulted in a tragedy that affected them forever. Cassie saw a problem for Bille and rectified it, and Cassie became the epitome of a friend and the holder of a secret.
In spite of this glue that held them together, the aspirations for their life sent them separate ways. And as friendships often do, their closeness diminished at least by one of the two. Cassie wanted upward on the social scene and this left Billie constantly hoping to renew what they once had.
There finally came a situation where Billie made a tragic, spur of the moment mistake. One where she wanted to punish Cassie for the times she was pushed aside for Cassie's new job and friends. She tried to reverse this tragic error, lied to those that mattered but finally confessed to what she did.
Rather than prosecute her actions Cassie let it go.
Thus getting a “bye” and squaring up their past secret.
Now they could both move on without guilt .

Bye, Baby is a unique thriller in that we know within the first couple pages of the book that a) a baby was taken from her home and b) we know right away who kidnapped the baby.

Billie and Cassie are childhood friends, but they’ve grown apart over the years. Billie would do anything to hold onto Cassie’s friendship, but kidnapping her baby wasn’t the smartest idea.

The book is told in two POVs (Billie and Cassie’s) and during two timelines. I very much enjoyed the backstory of Billie and Cassie’s childhood and the secrets that bonded them for so long. But the present timeline just wasn’t as interesting and, at times, it was very frustrating. Cassie was not a good person and Billie continually made so bad choices that it made me actually anxious. By the end of the story, I didn’t care about any of these very shallow characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2 stars

Bye, Baby almost had me. It was almost a 4-star read. But that ending was something else.

You should know that I spent the entire day reading this book. I started the audiobook *courtesy of Macmillan Audio* this morning. It immediately got me hooked. The more I read, the more I was in it. But then around 75% into the book, I was just disappointed.

If there is one thing I dislike about a book, it's when the synopsis doesn't fit the book. I can assure you this book does involve a kidnapping. It is just about 4 chapters worth of content. And that frustrates me to no end.

The book revolves around Billie and Cassie, best friends since childhood. I do love when a book switches between the past and the present. It makes the story much more interesting. What I don't like is when I am fed a history between friends and most of it is irrelevant to the present story. Billie's story was sad, many parts had my heart breaking for her. Cassie was just unlikable from page one. And I don't know if that was done on purpose. To make her unlikeable and to make her the real villain of the story. Because I don't think that. No matter how awful of a friend Cassie was, she didn't deserve her baby to be stolen in the middle of the night. And as much trauma as Billie suffered, it's not an excuse to steal a baby from someone you love and suffer no consequences. Because that is ridiculous.

Don't read this book. Don't waste your time.

Content warnings /spoilers : Sexual abuse, Alzheimer’s disease , kidnapping of child, toxic influencer

This was an advanced copy. Thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and the author.
This book was a real page turner for me. Loved the different POV and switching timelines to get the history of the relationships and the trauma that bonded these friends. Bottom line Cassie was a brat and Billie made some bad decisions. Ending was a little anticlimatic but did leave us with hope that Billie ( the nice friend) would get her happy ending after all.

I was so so excited to get a copy of "Bye, Baby" by Carola Lovering. I have been a huge fan of her previous books and I knew that it would be hard to disappoint me, as I am such a fan of hers. I think after all of the attention for her previous series, this was a welcome change. Carola examines friendship in such a timely way - the slow change and disintegration of a relationship due to one of the friends becoming a mother and this incorporation of social media and how it can alter how we view things. I love thrillers and I think this had all of the qualities of a great thriller, but what I really loved was how she got you to sympathize with someone in a very bad set of circumstances.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: March 5, 2024

This is the third book I've read by Carola Lovering, and like the two I read prior, I greatly enjoyed this book! Carola Lovering always has a way of getting me invested in the characters' relationships more so than most other authors I read. In this book, I was deeply invested in seeing how the two main relationships Billie had would play out. I felt for her, and even when I didn't agree with things she did, I understood what propelled her to do them. I didn't particularly like Cassie (and I'm not sure you're meant to), but the author still managed to make me care about how her story would play out as well.

Don't go into this one expecting a fast paced thriller. This is a slow burn suspense. The book immediately opens up with what will be the central conflict, and then it jumps back in time to show you how it got to that point. Then the rest of the book is seeing how it plays out and what (if any) consequences there are. So this is definitely not a whodunnit or a mystery of what happened. You know immediately what happened and who did it. It's a suspense first about what drove Billie to do what she did, and then a suspense of what will happen as a result.

The reasons this was a 4 star and not a 5 star for me is because it did feel like it was dragging a little bit in the first half before we got to the central conflict. Also, there are a couple of upsetting scenes that I personally wish were a little less descriptive. However, you can tell what's going to happen before it happens in those scenes, so you can skip over those parts and still get the gist of what happened.

Overall, this was a really great book, and I enjoyed it a lot! If you like slow burns and character driven stories, then I highly recommend this!

Best friends Cassie and Billie have been through a lot of shared experiences, yet when we are introduced to them they are barely speaking and a baby is missing. I feel like this book was trying to be a lot of things - a thriller, a complex friendship story, mental health, abuse, the impact of social media. I wish more of it discussed the impact being a social media "celebrity" has on friendship, perception and reality. This was a relatively quick read, but left me wanting.

Thank you for the advanced reader copy Netgalley & St. Martin's Press.

I received an advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Enjoyed this story immensely as I have previous books by this author. I loved the POV from two main characters and going from past to present timelines. I personally wouldn’t have called this story a thriller, more suspense.
The plot covers many topics/issues ie sexual abuse (by an adult family member), Alzheimer’s disease, toxic relationships & and a narcissistic influencer.
A very well-written and engrossing story. The ending wasn’t quite what I was expecting or hoping for but still was satisfactory. Definitely would recommend!

👯‍♀️Review - Bye, Baby 💔
3.5/5 ⭐️ Kindle - Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC
Release date: March 5, 2025

I am calling this a psychological drama (not quite a thriller) that follows former best friends, Billie and Cassie. Billie and Cassie are childhood best friends but their adult lives have taken them in very different directions. Billie wants nothing more than to be best fiends with Cassie again and will do anything to achieve that.

I enjoyed this very character driven book but the beginning was a little slow and I didn’t connect well with the characters, especially Cassie. Listen, both Billie and Cassie are toxic but Billie’s trauma at least explains that behavior, Cassie on the other hand is just mean and annoying.

Bye, Baby relies on flashbacks and dual POVs to tell the story and provide details of the characters’ past. I loved the flash book scenes. This book focuses on the themes of obsession, privilege, motherhood, and friendship. A solid read if you enjoy dramas/thrillers.

First, I would say this book being categorized as a thriller is incorrect.

I loved the dual timeline and dual POV to get the full picture of the relationships. However, these characters were insufferable which made the book incredible slow at times. With that being said, the story somehow keeps your attention to the very end.

This quite the story! It's told through both women's perspectives, and you slowly learn their about their traumatic pasts. Billie actually has a pretty great life, she just can't get over the fact that Cassie no longer wants to be friends. I wanted to shake some sense into Billie more than once! But it's easy to understand how she feels, and I was actually pretty sympathetic toward her (apart from the kidnapping, lol). You do have to suspend reality a bit to understand why the other characters (including her boss and boyfriend) react to Billie's actions the way they do, but overall I really enjoyed this book!

A story about the ups and downs of a lifelong friendship, and the traumas that bind for life.

I enjoyed the dual timelines and dual POV that helped paint the picture of Billie and Cassies’ friendship, but things were just too toxic. I can appreciate that they had a shared secret, but is that enough to keep them connected when their friendship so clearly had run its course? They often voiced how they hated and judged one another, so it didn’t seem believable that they would drop their lives in a heartbeat to be there for each other. Not to say those friendships don’t exist in the world, but I didn’t believe it in this situation. Cassie’s baby is stollen and her first instinct is to call Billie? Why?

Also,it’s my fault for not better pre-researching, but the way this was written, I would have assumed it was a thriller. I was invested from the beginning and waited, and waited, and waited for the big “twist” or reveal and it never happened. Why? Because it’s not a thriller. The writing and narrating build making it feel like there’s a big climax coming, but then… nothing? Not really a critique or a fault of the book, but also, maybe it is? The writing is so suspenseful, but the genre is simply contemporary fiction.

With that being said, I was captivated and finished very quickly. The writing was fast-paced and the narration was strong. A good read touching on the evolution of friendship, surviving trauma, motherhood, relationships, family struggles and more.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC available March 5, 2024.

Many thanks to my friends at @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.

Suspenseful and easy to get lost within.

🤨 If you walk off with your best friend’s baby, is it really kidnapping?

That’s not a spoiler. It’s the attention grabbing first scene in Lovering’s newest drama infused domestic suspense.

Bye, Baby is a character driven novel that explores the gritty details of a friendship turned toxic.

With dual narrators and timelines, the complexities of the relationship are examined in thought provoking detail. From loyalty to obsession. From devotion to superficiality. There’s much to glean from this exposition, and I think that many will find it relatable in some capacity.

Neither character is particularly likeable. Early on, I found myself frustrated with Billie. But at some point, the frustration melted away, and I began to feel empathy for her situation, even understanding her impulses and motivations. Cassie, though…I found no redeeming qualities in her. But that amplified the intricacy of the situation all the more.

The short chapters brimming with drama made this a quick read. And the deeper themes regarding the impact of living with a sick parent (and eventual grief) alongside the trauma of sexual abuse created a thoughtful commentary.

This was an addictive plot with a stark reminder: not everything is worth holding on to.

🎧 With dual narration by Karissa Vacker (a fav!) and Helen Laser, both characters are distinctly brought to life. The separate narration amplifies the best and worst within the friendship and harnesses the tension within the unraveling.

This was the first book I have read by Carola Lovering. This was well written, gripping, hard to put down, thought provoking and riveting. Make sure you check trigger warnings because this book has some tough subjects. I think most woman can relate to this story and one of the characters. I found this to be a really good read and didn't want to put it down. I would definitely recommend this book!


Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press or allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

This one started so good, I was so intrigued by these two characters and their shared history. A dual POV and timeline revealing pieces of their friendship as they go from teenagers to adults.

Neither Cassie nor Billie were likeable characters. Cassie, an influencer who uses her life as content and comes across as very materialistic and self-absorbed. Billie, a travel guide who gets to travel the world scoping out locations and deals, but she has an unhealthy obsession with Cassie rooted in a trauma bond they share.

Cassie is desperate to leave her past, including Billie, behind her and Billie will do anything to keep that from happening. I was all in for their drama.

I was invested in a majority of the book but it lost steam toward the end and felt pretty anticlimactic as the ending was anything but thrilling. While I was underwhelmed by the wrap up I did enjoy a majority of the read.

The first chapter of this book sets up a mystery. When it's finally solved and I realized the story was still going, I looked at my phone to realize I still had much of the novel remaining. That can be an irritating discovery, but I did enjoy the writing of this book so I didn't totally mind spending a little more time with the characters. I do want to mention that there are some very graphic sexual assault scenes here-- the "bad guy" is really, really bad (overly so, a little mustache-twirly in my opinion) and while I'm not particularly sensitive to that kind of thing, it did feel like a bit too much.