Imagine your ex-best friend transforming into a wildly successful influencer, and you find yourself glued to their Instagram stories all the time. With a setup like that, you can't help but be instantly captivated. It delves into one of the most relatable topics for women: female friendships, especially the heartbreak of losing close friends. This book really took me back to my twenties. I experienced two intense friendships falling apart, and I couldn't understand why. That's exactly how -year-old Billie West feels whenever she encounters her former best friend, Cassie Barnwell.
Cassie seems to have it all - a wealthy Ivy League partner, a lovely baby, and a trendy boutique. She's always surrounded by her fancy friends, who, to Billie's dismay, seem to belittle her at every opportunity. On the other hand, Billie's life is pretty great, too; she has a fulfilling job, a blossoming relationship, and a supportive group of friends. Despite her own happiness, Billie can't help but fixate on Cassie. What makes this book so compelling is the way it subverts the typical portrayal of these characters. While I empathize with Billie to some extent, I couldn't ignore her increasingly unsettling behaviour, which exudes a strong "single-white female" vibe. The story kicks off with a gripping scene where Billie is holding Cassie's baby while Cassie frantically searches for her child in the apartment upstairs.
This book skillfully weaves in flashbacks, providing a glimpse into Billie's difficult upbringing. Cassie emerges as a saviour in these moments, shedding light on why Billie is so attached to their past. However, as Billie navigates through the story, every choice she makes evokes a strong sense of empathy for Cassie. We can all relate to having someone in our lives who just can't take a hint.
This gripping thriller skillfully pushes its plot to the brink, keeping you on the edge of your seat. While the flashback scenes didn't captivate me as much, the main story is truly compelling. Once you start, you won't be able to stop!

This is a page-turner for sure! So relatable about friendships disintegrating. I really felt for Billie and Cassie. We get both perspectives and the book is interspersed with their backstory too.
It starts with Billie holding Cassie’s baby with Cassie freaking out over her missing daughter. Then we rewind.
Hooked from the start and turned those pages so fast! Very complex, intricate story. Loved it!

I went in thinking this was a thriller. I wouldn’t classify this one as a thriller or even a suspense, but I found it fast paced and couldn’t get enough of the mama drama and obsessive behaviors. The toxic friendships and obsession held me throughout the book (not sure what this says about me!). I really liked the illusion of social media depicting a perfect life. Great book and would love to read more from this author!

Well well well call this my new favorite thriller and slap a bow on the front because this was freaking wild. a wild wild ride. I get the hype and can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

🔸Lovering’s work continues to impress! I’m still not quite sure why her novels are categorized as thrillers though, because I find them to be much more in the domestic drama realm. So don’t start this book expecting a typical thriller.

🔸Bye, Baby captivated me with its authentic portrayal of a friendship between two women unraveling under the weight of life’s changes and buried secrets.

🔸While the “kidnapping” incident seemed a touch implausible to me, it underscored the human tendency to falter under stress and make incredibly bad decisions.

🔸The storytelling, alternating between past and present, skillfully revealed the depth of the protagonists’ childhood bond and the pivotal moments leading to their estrangement.

🔸The audiobook experience was particularly noteworthy, with Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker delivering performances that brought the women and their emotional journeys to life.

🔸I have really appreciated Lovering’s books, and I find her ability to delve into the complexities of human connections captivating. If you enjoy stories centered around women’s friendships and relationships, or if domestic dramas are of interest, “Bye, Baby” will probably resonate with you.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

NetGalley Review — my rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

"Bye, Baby" by Carola Lovering is a story about friendship, of sorts. Billie and Cassie met in middle school in a nondescript town -- Billie, the daughter of a mother battling a disease and a stepfather with a wandering eye, and Cassie, a girl always looking to climb the societal ladder.

The story starts with Cassie's 3-month-old, Ella, missing from her stroller during Cassie's birthday party in New York City. This prologue gripped me from the start.

Give it a shot. You won't regret it.

I wouldn't consider this a mystery or thriller, but something in between. It was really good and really freaking complicated (feeling-wise).

This book came out on March 5, 2024, so if you haven't read it, go request it now! If you have, what did you think?

#carolalovering #byebaby #netgalley #arc

What can happen when the friends grow up, grow apart and become two very different women?

Themes: Motherhood, Influencers, Secrets, Early-onset Alzheimer’s, abortion, coercive sexual acts

What I liked about the book:
1. Fast paced and attention-grabbing beginning
2. I had a love-hate relationship with the characters who had a complicated relationship

What I didn't like:
1. It wasn't really a thriller - more women's fiction.
2. Characters are one dimensional even though they have this complicated relationship
3. I didn't connect with the characters overall.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the chance to review and read.

3.5*
Bye, Baby is a story of female friendship and how it can go wrong. Billie and Cassie are childhood friends that grow apart as they get older.
I don’t think there was much mystery or thrilling aspects to this story, which seems to be the case in a lot of domestic thrillers. We knew from the very beginning what was going on.
Cassie was such an awful friend to Billie, and I didn’t feel bad for her. I overall enjoyed the story but would’ve liked a little more mystery.

This book was one that grew on me more and more from start to finish! Truthfully I went in with no expectations, having never read Carola Lovering before but I was very intrigued by the storyline, the cover and the title. I think going in without expectations kept me unbiased as I read and I found myself more pulled into the story with each chapter passing by. I will say it's a difficult one to review without giving away major spoilers, but the heart of the story is around friendship (and the inequities and struggles our friendships may have) and I found myself relating to that a lot.

I like the style of writing being alternating POV's and I enjoyed very much how bits and pieces were revealed to us as we read on. Carola built a complete puzzle piece by piece, which really captured and kept my attention.

The story of Cassie and Billie's friendship unravels, comes back together, and then unravels some more while we see each of them make questionable decisions, concerning decisions and downright ilegal decisions all in the same of self-preservation and maintaining a friendship. I loved how we see their relationship evolve, and how the impacts of childhood trauma are brought forward into their current lives (something I think people so often overlook!).

Worth the read if you are looking for a suspenseful story that makes you question... a lot of things! Why do we make the decisions we do? Why do our friends and family make the choices they do? Are we right in our pursuits? What justifies the choices we make? How does grief affect our judgment? ... .It really kept me thinking the entire book.

Bye Baby - Carola Lovering

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the Advanced Reader's Copy, which I received in exchange for an honest review.

The way the book started really felt like it was going to be a thriller, unraveling into a story with all sorts of twists and turns. Cassie and Billy have been friends since they were kids in school and have gone through many different transitions in life. As Cassie gets older, her connection with Billy diminishes, and her interest and desire to maintain the friendship decline, relegating him to more of an acquaintance than a friend. Billy struggles with the way the friendship has transitioned from best friends to more of an acquaintance.

Cassie is having a 35th birthday party and has not included Billy in the event, which Billy struggles with. The book is written from two points of view: past tense and present tense from Cassie’s perspective. The friendship between Cassie and Billy is complicated and messy, marked by codependency.

The book hooked me in because it starts off with a baby being kidnapped, and I wanted to understand how the baby was kidnapped and how things in this friendship got to where they were. I read this book voraciously over the last couple of days and enjoyed it. The book is about friendships growing into adulthood, relationships, and motherhood, focusing on those who want to be mothers, those who aren’t, and the pressures of society on these mothers and how it impacts their friendships and relationships, as well as class issues.

I did enjoy the book quite a bit. I rated it 3.75 out of five, but I felt that it didn't pull together as well as I would have hoped. It is absolutely an addictive read and will keep you distracted, so I recommend grabbing this over a weekend or on a vacation when you’re looking for something to just hook you in.

I loved Carola's previous book, and enjoyed this too, more drama than thriller, it still brings an addictive read thats bingeable for one sitting

I received a digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I felt for both Cassie and Billie. As messed up as their friendship was, I wanted it to work. However, I found the story repetitive, and there definitely should be a content/trigger warning regarding Billie and her step-father Wade - sexual assault/rape.

In "Bye, Baby," Carola Lovering weaves a gripping tale of friendship, secrets, and the haunting impact of choices. Set against the backdrop of New York City, this novel explores the complexities of lifelong bonds and the fractures that threaten to shatter them.

While marketed as a thriller, and the suspense throughout is palpable, the narrative leans more toward friendship drama. The story kicks off with a shocking revelation: protagonist Billie West realizes she’s responsible for her best friend Cassie Barnwell’s infant daughter going missing. As the story unfolds and incidents in the women's pasts are revealed, tension builds as Billie grapples with guilt and tries to salvage their friendship.

Lovering excels at character-driven storytelling. Billie and Cassie’s relationship, once unbreakable, faces strain in adulthood. Cassie’s newfound priorities clash with Billie’s loyalty, creating a compelling dynamic. The tipping point—the baby’s disappearance—sets the stage for emotional turmoil and self-discovery.

"Bye, Baby" is compulsively readable, delving into themes of forgiveness, trauma, and the enduring echoes of childhood. It’s a novel that lingers, leaving readers pondering the lasting effect of the choices one makes. Lovering’s prose is both evocative and relatable, drawing readers into the heart of the narrative, and gripping you from the first page. It’s a must-read for anyone who appreciates layered friendships and the complexities of human connection.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, the author, and NetGalley for the free gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Bye, Baby is the same author as Tell Me Lies - a crazy thriller and a Hulu show last year!

Bye, Baby was a wild thriller right off the start but it didn’t stay as crazy as I expected. I was enjoying this thriller but it felt super predictable and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop when it never did.

This book ended up being more of a family drama than a murder mystery type book and was still super interesting and had me hooked til the end.

I think Carola Lovering has a way of writing intriguing characters that keep you hooked and interested in these crazy people and their crazy lives.

"Bye, Baby" by Carola Lovering grips you from the first page and doesn't let go until the very end. This gripping mystery thriller unravels a complex dynamic between the two main characters, Cassie and Billie, whose troubled past and present intertwine in unexpected ways.

Lovering skillfully navigates between past and present, slowly revealing the tumultuous history between Cassie and Billie, making the reader desperate to uncover the truth behind their fractured relationship. The tension builds as we witness the unraveling of their bond against the backdrop of a horrifying kidnapping.

The heart-pounding moment when Billie realizes she's responsible for the abduction of Cassie's infant daughter is just the beginning of a rollercoaster ride of twists and turns. The author expertly crafts a narrative that keeps you guessing until the very end, with each revelation adding another layer of complexity to the story.

While the ending may not satisfy everyone's expectations, it's undeniably thought-provoking and leaves room for interpretation. Despite this, "Bye, Baby" is still a must-read for fans of the genre. Lovering's writing is sharp, her characters are flawed yet compelling, and the pacing is relentless.

Overall, "Bye, Baby" is a gripping and intense thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page. Despite its slightly imperfect ending, it's a book that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. I would highly recommend it and rate it four stars.

Billie 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. What is she doing here and how did the baby wind up in her arms? She was just supposed to be checking her bosses apartment while she was away but heard the poor baby crying and no one paying attention so she took matters into her own hand. Her estranged best friend turns to her for comfort but how can she keep the secret that she was the one who took her baby?

Thank you netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC

There was a lot to this one that I found enjoyable! The story started really strong but I thought towards the end some steam was lost. The toxic friendship component and the unlikeable characters made for some great drama too!
Thank you St Martins Press for the ARC.

This is supposed to be a thriller??
I kept waiting for another twist or something else to make it "a thriller". It was however a lot of drama. Also, if you read the blurb it tells you most of the book. So I recommend going in blind. I enjoyed it but definitely expected more.

Thank you for this ARC

Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author Carola Lovering for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story is told from two povs: Cassie and Billie. It is told from the present with flashbacks to the past.

The story opens with Billie having just taken her childhood friend, Cassie’s, baby. Cassie unaware of who has taken her baby is screaming for Billie.

Then the story goes back to the events leading up to the kidnapping.

It also flashes back to Cassie and Billie’s blossoming friendship growing up.

Cassie was always determined to marry wealthy and she did. She and her husband, Grant, live it an affluent neighborhood in NY. Cassie is an influencer and shares all aspects of her life with her followers. From her morning smoothie to her yoga classes, nothing is off limits. She flaunts her wealth and brags about brand names. Billie is desperate to maintain her friendship with Cassie. She texts her, but often revives to response. Billie is really a burden to Cassie and her wealthy mommy friends.

Cassie was an unlikable character. She was selfish, entitled, and narcissistic. Billie wasn’t much better. While you felt sorry for what she went through in her past, her obsession with Cassie was annoying.

Overall it was a good story. I kept waiting for there to be some big twist, but that never happened.

3 1/2 stars rounded up