Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering is set to be one of the top books of 2024 and I can see why. Now in their thirties, Billie and Cassie have been best friends since they were little. They both live in the city and come from the same town, but aside from that, their lives have taken completely different paths. Cassie found fame as an internet influencer and is married to a wealthy man with an infant daughter. Billie hasn’t had the same success and finds herself struggling as Cassie tries to put more distance between them. In an act of desperation, Billie takes Cassie’s baby, but only for a short time. Bye, Baby is addictive, suspenseful and filled with complicated friendship dynamics. While I’m not sure I really liked any of the characters, I was hooked from the first page. Bye, Baby should not be missed!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second book by Carola Lovering and I really enjoyed it. Lovering did a great job covering the lifelong friendship of Cassie and Billie. I think she really hit the nail on the head with what it is like when you grow out of a friendship.

The beginning moved a bit slow for me, but all of the information in it was necessary to the plot of the story. If you enjoyed “Tell Me Lies,” I feel you will really like this book. I actually enjoyed it more. This is a domestic drama that covers many topics, some may be triggering, so be sure to check the content warnings before reading. This releases March 5th, so predorder today!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest review.

This really isn’t a mystery — in the very first pages you find out that Billie, once the teenaged bestie of Cassie (bonded together by a long ago awful secret), has crashed her former and now very successful best friend’s 35th birthday and kidnapped her 4 month old daughter. To return her 3 hours later. The story then alternates between POVs to let us know why this happened and reveal what bonded and then unbounded them. More like dark women’s fiction about a toxic friendship.

I was unsure who to like or dislike and I definitely was not engaged in rooting for the relationship to be healed after the kidnapping occurred, although author Lovering gives great depth to her characters through the flashbacks. A better understanding was helped by narrators Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker, whose voices let me interpret the differences between the characters (who seemed flat when I was reading the book). The story was not my cup of tea at the moment, but it could be interesting to readers who like to dissect longtime friendships gone bad 3.5 stars.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Alex has green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Not beyond Cassie’s wild dream of losing Ella in wildflowers.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a free advanced ebook and audio copies in exchange for an honest review!

5 stars! Loved it! Suspense mixed with complex female friendships made this book so hard to put down.

This was a slower burn novel that follows Billie and Cassie through their present day friendship with snapshots of their friendship from their childhood years up to the current day. I loved both characters who are both 30 somethings living different lives in New York City. We swap between their points of view. Cassie appears to be your stereotypical influencer living a fabulous, rich life with her husband and young baby. Billie has a great job and gets to travel to exotic locations for work. They both used to be best friends growing up. However, since Cassie had her baby, Billie has not been able to get Cassie to agree to plans to hang out like they used to. After a series of events, Billie finds herself taking Cassie’s baby. The story unfolds to understand their complex relationship and the fall out of who took Cassie’s baby and why.

This was one of those books that I simultaneously didn’t want to end but also had to keep reading to find out more. The author did a great job at slowly revealing different parts of the character’s lives and motivations and pieces of the plot. The book was captivating from the beginning up to the end. My thoughts were constantly changing on Billie and Cassie. Overall, this book is a wild ride like others reviewers say!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Carola Lovering, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was kind of disappointed by this book. From the synopsis and setup this presents as a mystery- butit’s really not, as the mystery is basically solved from jump street. So that kind of made me lose interest from early in the book.

This was an exciting and engaging read start to finish. It explores the different layers of female friendship especially the kind you grow up with. The plot revolves around two childhood friends Billie and Cassie, who have both grown apart in the recent years, and how this change in their relationship has affected them. Its a beautiful piece of women fiction and how relationships change as we grow mature. The dynamic between Billie and Cassie reminds you of how we grow into different people as we move through life and how challenging or easy these changes in relationships/friendships can be for different people.
The story starts with the kidnapping of Cassie's baby by Billie and the plot develops as we move through the dual povs and jump back and forth through multiple timelines to see Cassie and Billie's friendship evolve and dissolve over time.

Overall, this was a great read and kept me entertained. It keeps you engaged to see how the story unfolds and what will come of their friendship in the end. My only issue with the book was that the ending left me wanting something more, a better resolution, a greater sense of resolve.
Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read.

My rating is 3.5 rounded up to 4.

Thank you Netgalley & St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the digital ARC and audiobook to review in exchange for my honest review and comments.

I was really intrigued by the description of this one as I really love stories about former friends who have drifted apart. This book wasn’t totally what I was expecting as I think I anticipated this being more of a classic thriller when this is much more of a character-driven drama about these two women with a shared past (and secret) and the bonds that hold people together even when it seems like there is nothing left in a relationship.

The characters of Billie and Cassie are really at the heart of this story, and they are both terrible and yet sympathetic. As lifelong friends whose lives have created distance between them, I found their relationship to be both exaggerated and still relatable at times. I think the slow dying of a friendship is something almost everyone has experienced, and our childhood friendships that we think we are going to have forever often fizzle out as we age and grow in different ways. Billie and Cassie are sometimes caricatures of the rich influencer/new mother in Cassie’s case and the childless woman who doesn’t want her friendships to change. But then there are moments of their internal dialogues that really resonated with me and made them feel like very real people. Since the story is told in dual POVs, we really get to understand the emotional and mental states of both characters, and I don’t think the story would work without this.

This book deals with some heavy topics as well including sexual abuse and dealing with a parent with Alzheimer’s. These topics in particular I felt were handled well and given the time they deserved if they were going to be used to explain a character’s psyche.

My main issue with this book is really how the synopsis set this out to be a mystery about a kidnapping when we learn very early on what happens. I get what the intention was, but it also sets the reader up to expect something this book is not. So if you want a mystery thriller about a kidnapping, this is not the book for you. But if you are interested in diving into the nuances of old friendships and the lasting bonds of those friendships, this book will be of interest to you.

Billie and Cassie have grown apart as they've gotten older. What once was two girls attached at the hip, has turned into a text here and there. Cassie is living her dream life, married to a rich man with a beautiful daughter and thousands of followers on Instagram. Billie is a travel consultant who is doing well but still stumbling from years of trauma.
When Billie finds out once again that Cassie has left her out of life events, she ends up in a web of lies. Ella, Cassie's daughter, is in her arms on a floor down from her mother. Billie seems to have taken her and now will put her back and keep her mouth shut. Told in alternating timelines and perspectives, you get to see the makings of Billie and Cassie's friendship and what choices will take it past the end.
This was a quick read. Lots of back and forth between the two woman that keeps the interest. A lot of build up, so consider this a slower burn. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this ARC. This was my first read by this author and I can say I enjoyed it. Although, I didn’t care for either of the main characters I did found the story easy to follow even with dual POV and timelines.

All and all, I’d say this read like a popcorn thriller but the ending fell flat for me. I would read more from this author in the future, I enjoyed her writing style.

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering is about a friendship between Billie West and Cassie Barnwell. As kids, they were inseparable, they watched out for each other, always had each others backs no matter what. Cassie was Billie’s protector, until she wasn’t. Cassie’s dreams were always much bigger than Billie’s. Her family used to have money, until her father lost it all, but Cassie dreamed of living that life again. Billie, wasn’t as interested, in anything, except Cassie.

Once Cassie hooks her future husband in college, little by little Billie is pushed out of Cassie’s life. There wasn’t any place for Billie to fit in anymore. But Cassie made sure to never cut the ties completely, because she knew, the secret her and Billie shared from when they were teens could never be told. But when Cassie needs Billie, she is right there waiting for the call.

There was a lot to unpack in this book. It wasn’t a thriller, and not much of a mystery, more of a look into friendships and the changes over time. There was so many issues brought up, rape, abortion, trauma, child predators, Alzheimer’s, problems with social media, being an influencer, but there wasn’t much depth to any of the issues, it was more of a blast hot topics. As for the characters, they were not likable, especially not Billie and Cassie. They were very shallow, Billie was an introvert, but I think she gave introverts a bad name.

I was hoping for more, more mystery less girl drama. I would like to thank Netgalley, St Martin’s Press and the author for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

loved this thing utterly. billie was so utterly twisted up and even when cassie seemed better there was still this deep rooted twist rthat grew as the story went on. thanks for the arc.

where to begin with this book. where to begin. neither the plot nor the characters of this book have any saving graces. neither has one iota of reality. and for fiction, and a so-called thriller, that can be okay. but in this case, it makes the book insufferable.

i suppose i should have expected less of this book (not that i expected a lot) having seen Tell Me Lies, which is based on Lovering's book of the same name. That show, and i assume book, also has insufferable characters, but it has a somewhat more interesting dynamic and plot (again, i can only assess this from the show).

billie and cassie suck. they actually deserve each other because they are both insufferable. billie has an excuse as a young girl because of her home life, but the person she becomes as an adult, who we are introduced to before any of the flashbacks, is a whiny try-hard who can't read the room. cassie is just plain awful and nothing, not even her loyalty to billie in their youth can save her because she becomes such an awful influencer, fame seeking... gold digger.

i wish that were hyperbole. i wish there was some sort of commentary on the dangers of the influencer lifestyle, of judging a person by the size of their trust fund rather than the quality of their character BUT THERE ISN'T. even when cassie seems to break free from her instagram-worthy life, SHE'S BACK AT IT WITH ZERO LESSONS.

there's just not a whole lot to redeem this story and i really finished it to see if it could prove me wrong, but... it didn't. the premise falls flat on its face. there are no consequences for anyone. and there is no reason for the inciting event or its aftermath. other than jealousy.

also, the flashback scenes are just completely unnecessary and do zero to further this plot.

This was such an intriguing story! Billie and Cassie are childhood friends who help each other through their individual struggles and are inseparable through college. As time moves on, however, Cassie moves into a different circle of friends and leaves Billie aside. The book starts with Cassie's four-month-old daughter going missing during a party. We immediately know that Billie is involved and the resulting story tells the reader how. The book focuses on themes of friendship and loyalty and is engaging from the start.

This was a solid 4.5⭐️ read for me!

A propulsive character-driven story about a kidnapped baby, a toxic friendship bound by a dark secret, motherhood, and influencer culture—this book gave me anxiety and a creeping sense of dread in the best way possible! I couldn’t put it down!

Billie and Cassie, best friends since they were 12, are now both 35-year old thriving New Yorkers who have drifted apart over the years. Really enjoyed the dual perspectives and chronological flashbacks that slowly painted the picture of how they ended up where they are now.

This was my first Carola Lovering novel, but now I definitely need to dig into her backlist! !

I really enjoyed this book. Great writing, good storyline, excellent character development! It was very easy to follow both the current time and flashbacks.
My favorite aspect was the focus on how much we focus on the opinions of others, both strangers and friends. The toxicity between friends coming to a head with the realization that your friend has never been who you thought was a brilliant moment in my opinion.

Holy cow! What an incredible and twisty read!! I loved the dual POV and timelines. I absolutely loved learning about Billie's and Cassie's friendship and truly rooted for them to continue this friendship. It tore me up learning at how Cassie had changed and I really empathized with Billie and her feelings. I had absolutely no clue where this book was going and was shocked at some of the outcomes. I can't say I agree with what Billie did, but the closeness of her and Cassie after the kidnapping just gave me the creeps. I thought this was a wonderful novel about friendships and the secrets they share that can tear them apart.

WOW ,.... is all i can say.. I get in the moods where I just want a good thirller and this one was it !

I just reviewed Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering. #NetGalley
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I have enjoyed Eve dry thing I have read by Lovering this far. Gripping and fast paced, these would be great to take on a trip

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering
Pub date: March 5, 2024
Narrated by: Karissa Vacker & Helen Laser
Duration: 11H 24M

Billie is 35 years old, fairly comfortable in her profession and not so comfortably single. Her once best friend Cassie is living the dream; married to a wealthy man, a new baby and a whole new set of perfect shiny friends. Billie feels put on the back burner and somehow, just not fitting in to Cassie’s new life – instead, she obsessively watches Cassie’s Instagram to see what she’s up to and who she’s hanging out with. This leads to nowhere good for Billie until one night after just one more slight from Cassie, she finds herself with Cassie’s baby.

Told by both women in the past and the present, it offers a perfectly blended narrative; giving the reader a good idea of how the women got to where they are. The trauma of friendship that ends or becomes toxic is perfectly illustrated in gritty detail along with the painful drama of gossip and mean girl behavior.

While there’s a lot of gossip and drama in Bye, Baby, it’s not without a more serious focus on sexual abuse, dementia, grief and loss. I think these issues were handled beautifully by the author while still shining a light on their grim reality. My own husband has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in May and it means something to see it represented accurately. Another focus is the influencer life – the onscreen perfection and then the gritty reality. Again, I think there’s a lot more depth than I can cover in my review without giving a lot of the plot away but I’d urge any fan of Carola Lovering or the above genres to read this one!

Narration: Karissa Vacker and Helen Laser hit this one out of the park. Both complimenting the other and moving this story forward beautifully. Well done, ladies, and bravo!

My thanks to both @MacMillan.Audio and @StMartinsPress for these gifted copies to review!

I liked this one a lot! Very fast paced, only took me a day or two, and found myself connecting with the main characters. Would reco to friends.

After reading 25 books in 2023, this one was in my top 5. I keep coming back to it in my head as a favourite. Well written, highly developed characters, and relatable, eerie plot line. For that reason, I'm changing my review from a 4 to a 5 star.