ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. I read a lot of books and enjoy most of them, but this one stood above and beyond most books I've read the past few years. It is absolutely fantastic. The plot was already interesting from the description, but even that is not exactly what you think it will be. Excellent writing, excellent plot, excellent details. 100% recommend!

This isn't really a mystery or a thriller, like the tags or information might lead you to believe.

This is more of a look at a friendship. Can they stand the test of time?
Cassie and Billie have been friends since middle school. They spent high school protecting each other. But Cassie has always been all about status and money and Billie has always been content with her lot in life, she just wants love and friends. Really, she just wants one friend (maybe 2) - she wants to be Cassie's friend.

But Cassie is now married to a wealthy man and has had her first baby. She's making friends with others moms and bumping shoulders with people well out of Billie's tax bracket. But Billie is still a bit whiny and jealous - she still wants this high school friendship that Cassie has grown out of.

Thank so much to the publisher for giving me access to an ARC of this book for review through NetGalley. Unfortunately, we're not a fit.

I hate to say this, but this will be a DNF at 10% in. I just can't continue with these characters. Billie reads like a crazy ex-boyfriend stalking Cassie. I'm really over the premise of women in their thirties who can't deal with their BFFs getting married and having kids. Please. This is what the population around the globe has been doing for thousands of years. Just because modern American women of a certain age decided childfree was their whole persona, doesn't make it interesting, especially when it appears in so many thrillers these days.

And her way of improving on the situation is to...kidnap Cassie's baby? How in the world does she think that's going to end...

But Cassie isn't any better, as the "I must please my thousands of followers for that sweet dopamine" influencer in her posh little Hamptons life.

Unfortunately, this came down to being a subjective miss. I'm not the reader for this book or this author.

Another domestic suspense hit from Carola Lovering! I really enjoyed this dual POV, alternate timeline story that focuses on two best friends and the way they grow apart after one of them has a baby. Set in New York city one of the friends becomes an momfluencer while the other is very much childfree by choice. Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of authors like Liv Constantine. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

CW: abortion

Cassie and Billie grew up bestfriends. As close as two friends could ever be.

Until college, that is.

Cassie attends Harvard and hopes to meet a trust fund husband (she does!) and her new wealthy elitist friends don't understand her relationship with plain old, Billie.

The fact that Cassie, now a famous Instagram influencer, is slowly cutting Billie out of her life has never been more evident until after she gives birth to baby, Ella. Weeks and months go by without any communication and Billie feels completely lost without Cassie by her side. In brighter news, Billie has met a nice guy, the first one in a long time she has felt feelings for. Maybe this will be just what she needs to take her mind off Cassie.

Cassie's thirty-fifth birthday has arrived and the festivities are being held in their glamorous Gramercy Park apartment. Billie, who wasn't invited, see's the party unfold on Instagram. The hurt and anger consumes her until.....

Baby Ella goes missing and Billie hears the words she has longed to hear from her dearest friend "Billie, I need Billie."

That's all I'm willing to say about Lovering's latest book on dysfunctional relationships. She's the queen of getting into the nitty gritty of relationships, be it between man and woman, or in this case best of friends. Oh, how I loathed Cassie. Money and appearance are all that matter to her. Billie, on the other hand, was kind, understanding, and an excellent friend to have. Her one fault being her absolute steadfast loyalty to an undeserving Cassie. While my feelings toward Cassie never waivered my feelings toward Billie ebbed and flowed but never once did I wish her ill will. I felt sorry for her and more often than not I wanted to reach into the pages to hug her. I was completely satisfied with the ending where a glimmer of hope shone through the pages. I'm beyond pleased to say this was another winner from Lovering. 4 Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my complimentary copy.

Bye, baby” has to be my favorite binge read in a long time - fast paced, twisted, and dark with a solid ending. I enjoy Lovering’s writing and character development. Cannot wait to see what she comes out this next!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was granted both an e copy and an audio copy. I went the audio route. I enjoyed the book but wasn't a favorite. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book early before release.

Wow, this was one of the best thrillers I've read so far this year. It was dynamic, fast paced, and kept me guessing the whole way through. I absolutely loved the characters and the dynamics between all of them. I absolutely love the way Carola Lovering really immerses you in the story and makes you feel apart of the friendships. I was so absorbed in this and thought it was brilliantly plotted. I was definitely surprised and satisfied with the ending as well. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! Really fast paced. This is the story of two girls growing up as friends, the story of their lives from girls to women.

Billie is more down to earth while Cassie is looking for a rich husband to change the status of her life. They each have their own moments of making a terrible decision and the book is the consequences of those decisions.

As they grow up, their friendship changes, their priorities change, and what they want out of life is not the same. Will their friendship survive or will they learn to live without each other? What will happen to each of them as the result of their bad decisions?

Would be great for a book club, lots to discuss. Highly recommend!

🤯 MIND-BLOWING MONDAY review 🤯 featuring “Bye, Baby” by Carola Lovering!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

23 years ago, Billie and Cassie met in their small hometown and became inseparable best friends. Together they navigated through the trials & tribulations of being teenagers, dating and family drama … AND trauma. One tragic night and a shocking dark secret will bind these two together forever. But did Cassie do it for Billie?? Or for herself?? As the duo reach adulthood, they begin to drift from one another … their secret staying hidden forever.

Now in present days, Cassie is approaching her 35th birthday and does not want Billie invited to her party. Billie is no longer a part of her world … and just doesn’t fit into her lifestyle anymore. Little does Cassie know, but Billie has been asked to feed her boss’ cat who just happens to live one floor below Cassie. Billie can hear the raging party going on above her … but also the shrieks of Cassie’s baby who has been forgotten about among the party.

Billie climbs up the emergency escape and gathers up the baby to soothe its cries downstairs. The next thing she hears is Cassie’s shrieks above for her missing baby and Billie spirals knowing that she has just kidnapped Cassie’s baby and Cassie can never know it was her.

I will be thinking about this book for a LONG time 🤯! This story surrounds a friendship that turns toxic over the years and at the root of it is a dark rooted secret. This book is full of raw emotion & twists and turns, and covers themes of trauma, obsession, betrayal and relationships. This story is hauntingly beautiful and at times feels like a razor blade to the heart and the gut. A MUST READ for anyone who enjoyed My Dark Vanessa, The Push, None of This is True and Strange Sally Diamond!

Thank you kindly to Carola Lovering, St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest reviews! This book releases on March 6, 2024!

Billie and Cassie are best friends. They grow up together and are inseparable. They share a secret that nobody can know. Over the years they grow apart. Billie kidnaps Cassie’s baby but returns her. Was a good book but I’m unsure how it is defined as a thriller.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

🎧Song Pairing: Somebody That I Used To Know-Gotye (haven’t heard this song since it was overplayed like forever ago)

💭What I thought would happen:

GO AHEAD AND LAUGH! I thought this was about twins separated at birth. Like one is kidnapped but they each have a matching locket 😂I mean good story no?

📖What actually happens:

Billie longs for her friendship with Cassie the way it used to be when they were teens but they’ve been through too much and have changed significantly since then.

Cassie is shouting for her baby and asking for Billie…what Cassie doesn’t know is her once upon a time BFF has her baby girl.

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

A baby goes missing…as a momma of thee most perfect baby boy ever (kidding, he’s feral AF) I got major anxiety. As someone who has also lost a friend over time and differences I also felt very sad.

Binge-y AF! Seriously! Do not start this unless you intend to spend the day with it. This was my first by this author but I’ve heard nothing but epic things. Colour me a fan!

Read if you like:
🤍Past trauma
🤦🏼‍♀️Mean girl drama
✌🏻Multiple POVs & timelines
🩵Suspenseful quick reads

I have really enjoyed Carola Lovering latest books !!

In "Bye Bye Baby" by Carola Lovering, the author masterfully unfolds a tale where friendship is tested by a haunting event. The narrative, though not conforming to the traditional thriller genre, intricately explores the aftermath of a traumatic incident, shedding light on the complexities of relationships. Carola Lovering's storytelling, captivates readers in a nuanced examination of friendship strained by tragedy. While it may not meet typical thriller expectations, the book distinguishes itself with a unique focus on the enduring impact of a shared history. I recognized its distinctive approach to storytelling and character dynamics.

Special thanks to the author , publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy of "Bye Bye, Baby in exchange for an unbiased review.

I found this under psychological thrillers genre and suspense but it’s more of a romantic story tied in with women’s friendship drama. The book focuses on childhood friendships and how they can change going into adulthood. It shows how materialism and social media can really drive people. It covers toxicity and obsession and pretty much making poor decisions. I don’t want to give any spoilers. 3.5 overall.

Thank you @CarolaLovering, @StMartinsPress and @NetGalley for a free e-ARC. The opinions are mine alone and not biased in any way.

This book was suspenseful but definitely not a thriller. It also dealt with some seriously heavy subject matter that I didn’t enjoy at all. I know it’s hard to provide content warnings that aren’t plot spoilers, but I’m really done with reading about child sexual abuse.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was my third Carola Lovering book, I really enjoy her writing style but this one fell a little flat. I wish there was more in depth character development with the two main characters, it all felt slightly superficial. I’m also confused why this was labeled a thriller, it is definitely not a thriller. Slightly suspenseful, but wouldn’t say thriller. I think this one is definitely worth the read, it follows a childhood friendship through different stages of life and a shared secret that can never be told. I appreciated the look into friendships as people grow and change over time. I just feel the story could have been told in less than 400 pages, it got a little slow.

3.5 stars.

Billie and Cassie have a toxic adult friendship that has carried over from childhood, full of jealousy and secrets. This drama/mystery uses flashbacks and different POV's to explore the dynamics in this relationship.

There is one event in the past that was super disturbing, and the main event in the present was unsettling as well.

In BYE, BABY Lovering subtly drags influencer culture while exploring motherhood and relationships. The pacing was a little off for me, but overall this one kept my interest.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC about friendship through the years, secrets, lies, heartache, and all that good stuff!

This book had a bit of a thriller vibe in first quarter then more women’s fiction for the rest. Excellent read no matter how you classify it!

4/5⭐️

This was quite the page turner! Several twists and turns throughout that definitely kept me engaged till the end. Not quite a traditional thriller per se, but more of a dramatic look at adult female friendship and moving on.

Cassie and Billie are old childhood friends who have drifted apart as they’ve gotten older. Cassie is building her entrepreneurial brand as an influencer - sharing her seemingly perfect life with her wealthy husband and young baby with thousands of followers. Billie travels the world to provide exclusive vacations for the wealthy elite, not leaving a lot of time for a partner or child. Cassie thinks that she has outgrown Billie and is desperate to leave her - and her dirty secrets - behind, even if Billie tries to make it work. Everything comes to a head when Billie finds herself holding Cassie’s baby - her missing baby - in her arms and realizes she has shattered her best friend’s world. Told in snapshots of the past and present from Billie and Cassie’s perspectives, this novel examines friendship, growing up, secrets, and what it means to be a woman.

I love the way Lovering writes. I was absolutely rapt the entire book! I definitely enjoyed the complex relationship between Billie and Cassie - and how their friendship evolved over time. Their character progression was very well done throughout. While I was definitely more invested in one of the main characters over the other, I appreciated seeing them both evolve over time. I also liked the deeper look at social media/influencer culture. I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed, and I wanted a bit more out of it. Overall, it was incredibly engaging and I’m still thinking about it, days after finishing it!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC! This book really impacted me and I found it completely fascinating!

I couldn’t put this book down!! This is for anyone who’s ever been rejected by their best friend. A best friend is hard to let go of when you don’t understand the reason for the rift. Billie and Cassie have always had each other’s backs but Cassie is moving on and Billie just can’t understand.

This book dives into the complex nature of friendship, loyalty, rejection, honesty and finally letting go of what is not good for you. A thriller but really a heartbreaking tale of loss.