4-4.5 stars

I actually really kind of liked this read. Very much women's fiction with an emphasis on toxic friendships, social media validation, and lots of secrets. I got major Tarryn Fisher vibes while reading.

This book was a great example of a co-dependent friendship. Both Billie and Cassie got something from the other and their high school friendship became even more forged when a traumatic event bonds them with a secret forever. Fast forward to adulthood with one friend moving on while the other is trying to hang on to a friendship that has run the course and you have this book in a nutshell. Only the one friend does something really crazy, maybe out of spite, maybe in an out of body moment by stealing the other friend's baby off a balcony during her birthday party. I know. Crazy. What was she thinking? The spiral that subsequently occurs is full of guilt, fear, and a realization that sometimes the person you think knows you best, isn't the person you thought they were.

A page turner with good story pacing, slowly revealing the past along side the present, I never lost interest as this train wreck of events fully unfolded. I had my fingers crossed that somehow they could salvage what once was and both come out as better people. While that didn't quite happen, I was left feeling hopeful for both Cassie and Billie's futures. I enjoyed it and would read this author again.

BYE, BABY is not at all what I expected it to be … it’s marketed as a thriller, but I disagree. So put it out of your head that you’re getting a thriller, and I think you’ll like this one, too! I enjoyed Carola Lovering’s unflinching look at female friendships - both the good and bad parts - and the sometimes painful process of growing into the people we are.

Billie and Cassie have been friends since they were in middle school. Over the years, they’ve been there for each other through thick and thin. They've protected each other, uplifted one another and kept each other’s secrets. But now they’re adults, and they’re very different women. Cassie is now an influencer, married to a wealthy man, and she’s the new mom of a perfect little girl named Ella. Billie, on the other hand, has an amazing job that allows her to travel all over the world, and isn’t sure she wants children. Although Billie craves the closeness she used to share with Cassie, she often feels abandoned.

Told from alternating viewpoints, BYE, BABY begins with a bang: Cassie realizes with horror that someone has kidnapped Ella during a dinner party she’s hosting. Meanwhile, in the apartment directly downstairs, Billie hears Cassie’s screams, and is holding Ella in her arms. Why does Billie have the baby? What led to this moment? You have to keep reading to find out.

I liked that the main characters were not black and white - neither Billie nor Cassie is perfect - and that’s life! I related to each of the women at different points of the story. Lovering touches on the dark side of being an influencer, childhood trauma and the loss of a parent, as well as the decision whether or not to have children and the stigma that can come with that.

Overall, I felt this book was a little long, but the character development was very good and I was definitely motivated to see how everything wrapped up. I personally liked the ending a lot.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced digital copy of BYE, BABY in exchange for my honest opinion.

This novel centers around the Billie and Cassie in alternating timelines and perspectives. Best friends as teens, it is evident that the two women shared some sort of falling out at some point, as they are no longer close as adults. The story unfolds telling us why, and leading to how Billie winds up stealing Cassie's baby from a party one night, and the aftermath.

The plot and beginning of this story had me hooked. I was so intrigued at the relationship between Billie and Cassie and what could have pushed them apart. This feeling continued for me up until what would be considered 'the twist,' and I found myself extremely underwhelmed. The reason, the outcome, it was very meh for me. This did bring my rating down a bit because I was hoping for a little more, however, I did still really appreciate the complex relationship between the women in this story. Billie and Cassie were two very different people with separate traumas and lifestyles, but were obviously loyal and loved each other in their own ways as shown by their actions. Was this enough for them in the end to mend a friendship? You'll have to read to find out and I do think it is worth it to do so, just perhaps not for the thriller aspect of it.

3.25/5⭐

I loved how easy it was to read this book. The only thing I didn’t love was that typically in thrillers and mystery books there are twists and this book didn’t really have any of that. The main character gave everything away as it was happening so there wasn’t anything exciting to come across. Overall I enjoyed the book.

This story started with a leap and I immediately found myself hanging on for the whole ride. I needed to know why this had happened, how this had happened, and what the end result would be.

Initially, I struggled to connect and like the characters but as the story progressed I began to accept their imperfections as those traits that are often hidden from public view. After all, we all have them. Once I released my need to love these women completely, I began to connect with them on a deeper level. I both loved and disliked them for some of their choices. It really kept me on an emotional roller coaster.

This is written through both women’s points of view as well as flashbacks that were clearly marked and easy enough to follow along with. The writing is pure perfection and I never once found my mind wandering.

3.5⭐ I was expecting a thriller with this one and it definitely is not that, but I was pulled in right from the beginning. The plot is character driven, about two friends with a toxic past. Told through their two POVs. I thought it was suspenseful enough and entertaining. There was plenty of backstory to add to the drama and the characters were well developed. This was more of a slow burn mystery, so as long as you're not going in expecting a thriller, I think this is a good read!

Out March 5.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. My review will be posted on Bookbub, Goodreads, and Amazon once it publishes.

4.25 stars!

This was my first book by author Carola Lovering and I really enjoyed it! I would recommend this as a good book club pick because once I started it, I could not put it down, and there were many themes to discuss, including friendship, mental health, motherhood, and classism. As other reviewers mentioned, it's not really a thriller per se, though it was fast-paced, but I would classify it more as a psychological drama.

This novel alternates timelines and POVs between two longstanding female friends who are now in their mid-thirties: Billie, from a working class family who experienced a lot of trauma while growing up, and Cassie, from an affluent family who fell on hard times and lost much of their wealth. They become best friends as adolescents, and the flashbacks in the book follow them from the time they meet through college, when they both end up at schools in Boston. After college, they move to NYC together. While they initially remain close, Cassie, who is on a mission to "marry up" and return to her affluent roots, begins to pull away from Billie in lieu of a more prestigious social circle.

In present time, Cassie is married to Grant, who comes from old money, and they have an infant, Ella. Cassie has made a name for herself as a fashion influencer on social media, and Billie is left watching and missing her bff. The novel starts with the impulsive and reckless decision that Billie makes to kidnap Ella, and explores the repercussions of that choice. Despite Billie's horrible decision, Lovering does a good job of humanizing her and making the reader feel sympathetic toward her. After all, who can't relate to feelings of exclusion and the pain that comes from losing close friendships?

Many thanks to the author, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my opinion!

This is the first novel by Carola Lovering I had the pleasure of listening to and reading

Billie and Cassie are high school friends. As they have gotten older, it seems as if they have drifted apart. Cassie is trying to run from her past living in a middle class town.

Cassie attends a prestigious college where she meets Grant. Cassie is chasing “old money” to get out of her middle class town and never look back. Cassie and Grant have a baby named Ella. At Cassie’s wedding, Billie can sense the divide between Cassie and herself.


Billie struggles with the divide wedged between her and her closest friend. One evening, Billie has Cassie’s daughter after hearing terrified screams. How did she wedge herself into such a sticky situation?

Billie and Cassie are forever bonded by a secret from their past. This novel depicts a toxic female friendship. Although there were some loopholes and things that seem to be left unanswered, i did really enjoy this novel and would read more from this author.

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC copy!

This is my first book by Carola Lovering and I really enjoyed it. A well written drama about a fiercely loyal and pretty messed up friendship with some very suspenseful moments. I loved reading the two points of view and the two timelines which worked so well in keeping the story flowing and the pages turning. I can't wait to check out more of Carola's books!

Cassie Adler and Billie West have been best friends since High School. These days they feel more like frenemeies. Cassie is living this bougie life in a penthouse in New York, married and with a brand new baby girl. She also has social media following of 50K. To everyone on the outside, it looks like Cassie Adler has it all, until one night her child goes missing. But, who took the baby?
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I was fully engrossed in this story. It hooked me from the beginning and I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough. The relationship between Billie and Cassie is so toxic but fully addicting. As we move through the story we continue to uncover more and more secrets between these two friends. This book was addictive and I absolutely loved the audio. Karissa Vacker is my favorite.
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4 stars because I felt the ending finished with a few plot holes. I don’t want to go into detail to avoid spoilers. But all in all a great read and one I would recommend. Absolutely adding Loverings backlist books to my TBR.
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Thank you Netgalley and St Martins press for an early copy.

Cassie and Billie were once the best of friends, always together and thick as thieves all the way through college. Cassie was desperate to leave their middle-class town behind and get herself in with the old money crowd. She’s finally got the life she’s always dreamed of: a wealthy finance mogul husband, a swanky New York penthouse apartment, a rising social media influencer career, and best of all, a beautiful baby girl. Cassie’s new life doesn’t have much use for her past – or for Billie. But Cassie and Billie are bonded by their history and a terrible secret that links them forever, and Billie will do anything to try to hang on to Cassie.

I was instantly captivated by this slow burn character-driven suspense story about toxic female friendship. We know from the very beginning that Billie kidnaps Cassie’s baby, then the nonlinear timeline takes us back in time to find out what led to that pivotal moment, and later shows us what comes after. The ripple of unease underlying the relationship between this trauma-bonded pair makes for a propulsive read filled with tension. I’m a big fan of a dual POV structure, and Lovering uses it to great effect, with Billie’s POV particularly powerful as her dark, obsessive thoughts are revealed. Billie’s yearning to hang on to Cassie’s friendship as it slips farther through her fingers is so compelling!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an advance copy of this book.

What a twisted friendship Billie and Cassie have. So many secrets. This is a story of friendship and how it can change over time. It is a domestic thriller told from 2 viewpoints. It is a can’t put down book. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.u

Firstly I will say I think this is more of a drama/psychological read with mystery elements in it. I can see where some might be disappointed if you're expecting a thriller or a highly mysterious book as this is just not that. So, for the people who enjoy psychological looks at characters you'll probably really like this one. I did like the themes explored (check trigger warnings) but I did think there were a bit too many of them and that took away the story's inability to truly hone in on a couple.

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering is a tautly written thriller that captures the nuances of "toxic" female friendships. There are so many twists and turns, jaw-dropping scenes, and moments that leave you with whiplash. You'll have a difficult time forgetting Cassie and Billie! This was a five-star read for me!

Bye Baby centers around two lifelong friends Cassie and Billie.

Cassie and Billie the summer before 7th grade. Growing up they were inseparable and closely bonded by a deadly secret; as so often happens, they grew and changed, growing apart.

Bye Baby was an engrossing character-driven novel that I couldn’t put down. The book explores toxic friendships and how all consuming they can be.

This was my second Carola Lovering novel and I eagerly anticipate the next.

This ARC was provided b the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me on the edge of my seat! I sped through reading this and really enjoyed the plot. I felt so anxious towards the end, but the ending of the book is satisfying. I will recommend this to friends upon release!

I loved this book! I loved reading both perspectives. It kept me engaged and wanting more. This was a page turner for me.

I have sat on this review all day because I’m just not sure what to rate it. It is NOT a thriller at all. It’s not a mystery. It’s more like a high school friend drama that translates to adulthood… kind of?

Clearly, I don’t know what genre this is or is supposed to be, but it did keep me engaged - albeit mostly because I thought it was going to turn into a thriller at one point. It just didn’t.

I hated the characters, but I enjoyed the story. Even though I didn’t like her, I did feel for Billie. She goes through A LOT as a teen and it definitely messes up her outlook on life. I hated Cassie all the way through, but her motherly love redeemed her a bit.

All in all, it was engaging and kept me turning pages. It just wasn’t what I thought it was going to be (and what I wanted it to be).

This was a good read - I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Well this was a wild ride. First, despite going in expecting some really strong thriller vibes from this one, it really didn't read as one. What Bye, Baby does bring to the table is a story of how friendships change, warp and fizzle out in complex ways.

I heavily related to both Billie and Cassie in several ways, though I really didn't like Cassie for a large portion of the book. She's got some redeeming moments and at the end I was pretty satisfied with her character arc but man she is a tough cookie to appreciate. The complexities of friendship, especially those that stem from childhood or school years is really hard to navigate and while I understood both sides of the relationship this was a read that easily frustrates the reader in a good way. I equally wanted to call Cassie out for being so shallow and yell at Billie to get a grip and move on- friendships aren't always made to last forever and it's ok to outgrow them!

The pacing of build-up and tension was great and we peaked at the 'oh my gosh' moment of here's the baby but honestly after that it went so slow. We're lead along this high tension walk of trying to remedy the situation and it just kind of ends? I wasn't satisfied with the ending, it was ok. I liked Billie so while I was sort of rooting for her in a specific sense it almost leaves the story feeling wrapped up too nicely, too neatly.

Overall, I still really enjoyed this one. I couldn't put it down and had to know what would happen next which speaks for something on this read despite the few downfalls I faced with it. It's an easy read with high drama and relatable moments and I'll be checking out what else the author has to offer.