This is a drama about friendship told from the perspective of the two main characters Billie and Cassie. The story is also told in the present and the past. The story has good characters who lead interesting lives. There is pain and deception among the characters that has to be overcome. The intertwined lives of Billie and Cassie is the backbone of the story plot.

I am a long-time fan of Carola Lovering and have read all of her work to date. Until ‘Bye, Baby,’ it took me quite some time to figure out how to provide this book with a proper review without giving away the plot and the underlying reasons for my conflicting opinions of the main characters.

The story, told in alternating POVs between the two women in both flashbacks and present times, did a great job keeping me invested in the overall narrative. Who each character was at their core proved to be an extremely important theme throughout. This is where I found myself at a frustrating crossroads forced to consider whether or not I believe the ends justify the means in situations that ‘should’ be seen in black and white, right and wrong, forcing me to consider a gray area that I may not have even realized could exist before reading.

The two women are both incredibly relatable in this book; Cassie is a classic opportunist with a remarkable ability to manipulate the people around her, her environment, and circumstances to benefit her in a way she feels she is entitled to. Making it incredibly easy to despise her throughout the unraveling of the women’s shared history. On the other hand, Billie is the girl who grew up feeling small, with low self-esteem and, trapped in circumstances she could not change was the perfect target for someone like Cassie. Billie was vulnerable, impressionable, and, for lack of a better word, ‘weak,’ allowing Cassie to swoop in, play hero and pushing Billie into a subconscious unwavering loyalty to someone who manipulated her into believing she needed and owed Cassie for being her friend.

Cassie wasted no time moving on from Billie when it served her and, in turn, strung Billie along to maintain a twisted sense of self-preservation. Billie’s decision in the book was undoubtedly wrong, but I struggle to hold her accountable because the motives behind her actions were not evil at their core, although the anger and frustration she felt at the time. I felt as though her impulsivity was ultimately based on instinct, ironically the motherly instinct she truly believed she did not and never would possess. The guilt Billie felt following that decision truly made me believe she regretted her actions and knew she was wrong in making that choice.

Contrastingly, a choice Cassie made in their past that was the true thread holding the two women together was made selfishly but disguised as selflessness. Billie needed to believe that Cassie made that earlier choice for her, to help her, to ‘save’ her, and nothing made me feel more at ease than when Billie came to the realization that all along Cassie has only made decisions in the best interest of Cassie. Cassie’s lack of remorse was clear following the reality of her being more afraid of other people finding out about what she did rather than feeling bad about what she did; her motives behind her earlier and continued actions were once again only in her best interest without regard for the collateral damage she would cause.

This book made me think A LOT, and it also left me longing for a continuation of Billie’s journey beyond Cassie. I am less concerned about what happened next in Cassie’s life; I think it is easy to write the rest of her story because of the type of person she has shown herself to be. Above all, I was rooting for Billie to face her trauma, let people with genuine intentions into her life to help carry the weight of everything she has carried from childhood, finally have a happy ending fueled by trust, love, and mutual loyalty and adoration, something she thought she found in Cassie but was robbed of for a very long time.

A special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest feedback.
All opinions are my own.
Publication date: March 5, 2024.
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers

A tale of a twisted relationship that never really stands a chance.
Billie and Cassie have been best friends since childhood. They shared their hopes and dreams and had each other's back. Billie was sincere, Cassie, not so much. So when their lives diverge as adults, Cassie's moved on with her wealthy husband and new child while Billie is left wondering why things have changed so much. Then something happens that throws the two back together and more drama ensues.

I really enjoyed the dual perspective and the 'then and now' approach to this story. I can't say I really liked either woman but for different reasons. The themes of relationships, shared secrets, sexual abuse, social media influencers and Alzheimer's are all present here and although it does seem like a lot, the story never got bogged down by them. The writing has an easy way about it and has a relatively quick pace. By the end I had a better understanding of why the things that happened did as well as a feeling of satisfaction by the outcome. I think this one will garner a lot of interest when it's released and think it's a great addition to anyone's TBR list.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two young women who met as girls deal with the differences of who they were and who they have become.

This was such a great book with a glimpse into the life of influencers, a job that truly sounds made up.

I liked Billie and was kind of rooting for her the whole way, despite what you learn in the first chapter and leading up to it. I didn’t love Cassie and I’m truly unsure if that was the author’s point.

I liked the alternating chapters of the past, though it wasn’t totally necessary dive that far into their past. I was more interested in the present and where it would go.

When the midway hit, I truly wondered where the second half of the story would go. It was a bit less dramatic and engaging as the first half, and I could have done without the HEA for both. I was kind of hoping Cassie would go back to her ways (as she did) and there really was a deranged follower who was obsessed with her. But alas, it was different and wrapped up nicely.

Def give this a chance if you love influencer storied and rotten friendships.

This book has it all--complex relationships, crime, love, and it keeps you guessing! I sat and read this in one sitting. I guessed one outcome/storyline pretty early, but the story and pace still kept me guessing throughout the book. This is a good thriller!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for advance access to the digital copy.

Fantastic book that I couldn’t put it down. This book dives deep into complex friendships and loneliness. I found myself connecting to each of the women featured in the book despite wanting to dislike them.

Despite not being a traditional thriller, I found myself turning each page quickly while wondering what would happen next. Highly recommend.

A tale of friendship that spanned many years and the challenges that come with that. In this story there is a kidnapping and a secret ! I enjoyed this . Thank you to Netgalley, the author and St. Martins Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Carola Lovering is incredibly skilled at writing characters and situations that are incredibly strong! I was sucked in from page 1 and even though I figured out the path of the book early on, I still wanted to know every bit of the story! Thank you NetGaley and St. Martin’s Press!

This is an intense story told between two women’s POVs, Cassie and Billie. They grew up together and once were the very best of friends. Their relationship changed however and over time became imperfect, toxic, and sad. I wanted to shake both main characters several times because they were so frustrating! The book also includes a social media element that is a great reflective piece for readers. I definitely recommend adding this one to your TBR list!

Billie and Cassie have been best friends for twenty-three years. They grew up together and share a dark secret about the past. But as they grew up and life changed, they slowly grew apart. Or rather, Cassie is the one who grew away from Billie. She married a wealthy man, is an influencer and a new mom. And she really seems to have outgrown her friendship with Billie. She views their time together these days as “something to cross off her to-do list”. It’s Billie who is holding on to the friendship. On the night before Cassie’s birthday, Billie shockingly realizes that she was not invited to her best friend's birthday party. As she watches the party unfold on Cassie’s lavish terrace, she soon begins to hear Cassie’s baby start to cry. So before she even realizes what she is doing, Cassie takes the baby. As she listens to Billie become hysterical, a small part of her relishes in the fact that Billie seems to need her again.

I think most women can relate to trying to hold onto a friendship that has run its course - or maybe was a bit one-sided all along. The hurt and the betrayal Billie felt was all too relatable. While she obviously went too far, I was not expecting to sympathize with her as much as I did. Billie was clearly more invested in the friendship from the beginning, while Cassie only seemed to want her friendship when it was convenient or she needed her. It’s a hard lesson to learn but I think a lot of us have been there. I can understand both sides, with friendships sometimes changing as you grow and it isn’t always easy.

Told in dual timelines, from dual perspectives, we see the awful secret of the past be revealed while in present day, Billie is scared that Cassie will find out the truth of her taking the baby. This is a very character-driven novel that shows growth and development in both women. It also took a bit for the “mystery” to come out; the beginning of the story was mostly focused on Billie and Cassie’s lives and friendships. I thought it was a very unique way to lay the groundwork and start to build the suspense that something was going to happen!

I also loved Cassie’s influencer perspective - again, its one quite a few of us can relate to.

“Bye, Baby” releases March 5, 2024. Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and Carola Lovering for the ARC/ALC! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.

Twenty-three years ago Billie met Cassie and the two young girls became fast friends, each others everything. The two remain bff’s throughout college bonded by a secret only the two know. When Cassie meets the rich man of her dreams, things change between them and soon Billie feels left out in the cold. Now in their thirties hurt and rejected, Billie makes an extremely poor choice, but that choice leads her back to Cassie once again, but if Cassie finds out, their friendship may never survive. A domestic drama about a deep friendship that turns toxic over time. Lovering fleshes out her characters quite well and as this was a duel read/listen the narrators bring those characters to life. A story that was hard to walk away from once started. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.

This book had me cringing, laughing, confused, irritated and at times bored… overall however the book was a great read. The plot is a little much for taking place in the current culture… Like advanced cameras would most definitely be in this building/apartment. I also almost wanted a different ending but it wasn’t an ending I was expecting so it was twist worthy. Overall I’d recommend it to friends to read!

This was addicting and actually I thought it was super relatable. I thought the author depicted mid 30s female friendship well. Where you have the one friend with a baby, the other who doesn’t want children, and the distance that grows because of different lifestyles. I was immersed in Cassie and Billie’s friendship. I hated Cassie as a person, but loooved Billie and was rooting for her the whole time. Especially with Alex hehe but was Billie an idiot about not speaking up about “kidnapping” Cassie’s baby? Absolutely lol

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Title: Bye Baby
Author: Carola Lovering
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️'s

Carola Lovering's "Bye Baby" delves into the intricate layers of the toxic friendship between Cassie and Billie, childhood best friends whose bond is shattered by a pivotal event.

I thoroughly enjoyed the dual POVs and the skillful alternation between past and present, offering a profound exploration of Cassie and Billie's complex relationship. I love the author’s writing style creating strong bold characters that are mostly likable & most relatable. Add in the smooth flow of the storyline and it’s a winner for me!
While the ending was tied up nicely I found myself wishing for a bit more depth and nuance. Maybe this will pave the way for a sequel!!!

I highly recommend this novel to those readers that are intrigued by toxic friendships, suspense drama and a touch social media.

Overall this was a compelling read that held me captive from start to finish. Carola Lovering's storytelling prowess continues to impress, making her an automatic must-read author for me. Special thanks to #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress, and #CarolaLovering for the Advanced Copy. This book was a joy to experience, and all opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #carolalovering #StMartinsPress

𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨💫

ʙʏᴇ, ʙᴀʙʏ
ᴄᴀʀᴏʟᴀ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀɪɴɢ
sᴛ. ᴍᴀʀᴛɪɴs ᴘʀᴇss
ᴘᴜʙ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ: ᴍᴀʀᴄʜ 𝟻, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
✩✩✩✩✩

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone has had a relaxing weekend with lots of reading time!

I’ve always enjoyed author @carolatlovering’s books but I absolutely LOVED her newest upcoming thriller 𝐵𝑦𝑒, 𝐵𝑎𝑏𝑦. This is easily my favorite book by her, the story was so captivating and I was handcuffed to the pages!

The plot consists of topics surrounding motherhood, toxic friendships, child/sexual abuse, social media influencer lifestyle, murder. The author did such a good job tying all these topics into a twisted, jaw dropping story. On top of an addictive plot, I loved unreliable main character Billie.

100% reccomend! This is more of a light thriller but it’s still super twisty. Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the early copy. Put this on your TBR, you do not want to miss this one- out March 2024. ✨SYNOPSIS in comments!
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A popcorn thriller with characters you'll love to hate. This thriller plays on the dark side of the influencer world and will have you on the edge of your seat until the last page.

*I received an advance copy from NetGalley.

"Bye, Baby" is unlike any mystery/thriller I've read before. I feel like most of the thrillers I've read are set in a different location, not someone's home, and not filled with so many real-life elements. Billie and Cassie have a complicated relationship, one we learn more and more about as the book goes on. Throughout the whole book, my feelings kept yo-yo-ing back and forth about each of these main characters in different ways. The summary of the book that you'll find everywhere already spoils how the book starts out — Billie (accidentally?) temporarily kidnaps Cassie's child. I won't tell you how she gets there (or how things work out, of course), but man, do they have a weird relationship. Reflecting back on how I felt while reading "Bye, Baby," I think the overwhelming emotion that comes up is "uneasy." All in all, this book didn't blow my mind, but it sure was intriguing.

If you’re looking for a book that gives some in depth look into female relationships, then this book is for you. If you’re wanting an edge of your seat thriller- then not so much. That prologue started off so great. It was all downhill from there. It was written well, and I wasn’t bored- it just wasn’t the book I was expecting.

When I read Too Good to Be True by Carola Lovering, I knew she would become an automatic buy author for me.
So you won't be surprised when I tell you that when I started Bye, Baby - I was entranced right from the start! This is a story comprised of friends, secrets, lies and an eventful night that changes lives.

Here's a bit of the synopsis:
Cassie and Billie, Billie and Cassie - their names just go together, they are that close! They have grown up together, but in high school, they face a traumatic event that slowly tore them apart. Now Cassie is married with a baby, a substantial social media following, and a clothing store. She is living in the moment and planning for her future. Billie is single and still thinks about the loss of her friendship with Cassie. So much so, Billie is bordering on obsession.

I love how this story is told from both ladies perspectives. Carola Lovering does a masterful job of moving through two timelines, two POV's, and keeping you engaged! There were times I could feel for both Cassie and Billie and there were times I felt both of them needed some therapeutic help!

This a well written book. I found myself not able to put my Kindle down and it really made me thing about friendships and betrayal and how I would react if I were in the character's shoes.

This book is set to release on March 5. 2024. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to preview Bye, Baby!