I can’t remember the last time I felt this unsettled about a book. It started out great and I fell into it. I read and listened to this and Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker narrated this crazy thing and they were awesome. Each chapter pulled me further and further into the lies, disbelief and disgust. I’ve seen unhealthy relationships before but this one was especially hard to stomach.
The author did a great job writing a gripping, nail biting story that wasn’t like anything I’ve read. I recommend if you like crazy.
4.5⭐️
Thanks Macmillan Audio and St. Martins Press via NetGalley.

I received an ARC of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. I loved this book and am giving it my first 5-star rating in a while!

Although there is suspense as you learn more about the characters' pasts, as well as while you wait to see how the consequences of Billie's actions will play out, I would not categorize this as a thriller or even domestic suspense. It is more a story of friendship through the years. But there are also huge themes of motherhood, social media, keeping up with the Joneses.

As a parent of a small child, the motherhood stuff was spot on, particularly the parts about breastfeeding. I am not sure I have read anything previously with such raw and real descriptions of that unique aspect of the mother and baby relationship.

Since Cassie is a rising influencer, there is a lot of talk of Instagram and this also resonated with me a lot. Ms. Lovering absolutely nailed the influencer-speak right down to the brands that are totally realistic for a wealthy NYC mommy.

The author is extremely skilled at characterization. Everyone has a personality. Everyone has a specific relationship. I particularly enjoyed the sections with Billie & Jane (everyone should be so lucky to have this kind of relationship with your boss) as well as Cassie & McKay (mean mommies extraordinaire).

The book is heartbreaking throughout and I was definitely dreading the end as I wasn't sure if we would be left even sadder. But I definitely think Ms. Lovering succeeded with how she chose to end the book.

Friendship, secrets, lies, and one fateful night set the stage for Bye, Baby. I was fully invested in this book from the very beginning. Friendships change, people change, and that can be hard when you were once close to someone, when you spent all your time together, but time and circumstances have created a chasm in our relationship. I found this to be a thought-provoking and well written book. This would make a great book club book as there is a lot to discuss within the pages of this book.

Billie and Cassie were once best friends. They grew up together and experienced so much together. They had the tightest of bonds but one traumatic event in high school saw them slowly drifting apart. Now Cassie is a married woman with a baby, a social media following and a clothing store. She is living in the present and looking forward to her future. She is now a wealthy woman and has a new circle of wealthy friends. Billie is single and feels the loss of her once close friendship with Cassie.

From the book description readers know one thing that is going to happen in this book (Billie taking Cassie's baby) But that is only aspect of the book. I loved reading both women's POV's in this book. Both POV's are insightful and slowly readers will learn about their past, their bond, and the event that changed both of their lives forever. It's a big "AHA" moment that explains a lot about certain issues the characters have. The two timelines and two POV's really worked for me in this book.

I could feel for Billie. It is hard when a relationship changes. Having to mourn that loss and move on. I could feel her longing and sense of loss. Her desire to reconnect with her once best friend and be close again. Cassie, I felt for her as she suffered the heart wrenching pain of not knowing where her baby was and if she would ever see her again. Other than that, I found her to be vapid, self-centered, and cruel. She thrived on the attention she received from her social media followers which had me questioning how happy she was in her life. One thing is certain, both women could benefit from therapy.

This book touches on so many things - friendship, motherhood, secrets, relationships, molestation, Alzheimer's and lies to name a few. Some of these may be triggers for some.


I had the pleasure of having the audiobook and kindle version of this book. It made for a fully enjoyable reading experience. The title of this book was very clever as well.

Well written, gripping, hard to put down, thought provoking and riveting.

I didn’t fall in love with this one like I thought I would. I almost DNF but I did want to see how things would end between Cassie and Billie. I did like the Dual POV of the two friends. Hearing them both talk about their friendship was interesting but so much drama. They were both so unlikeable. Overall this book wasn’t for me. This book was describes as a thriller but I didn’t get that vibe at all.

Read if you enjoy:
▪️Secrets
▪️Dual POV
▪️Friend/Family Drama
▪️Suspense

While I wouldn’t categorize this novel as a thriller, this story about the special bonds of friendship between Billie West and Cassie Barnwell had me totally hooked. We all remember having close ties of sisterhood when we were young that were woven tighter than a French braid and as weather-resistant as a double coat of hairspray. Time can tear us all to shreds as we grow beyond the boundaries of our teenage selves. How much strain can those sisterly bonds truly endure?

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has experienced or appreciates the ups and downs of a long-term friendship.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of Bye, Baby for my unbiased evaluation.  5 stars

A story of childhood friends growing apart. Well developed characters and the plot was interesting. Will definitely read more books by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance ereader copy of “Bye, Baby” by Carola Lovering in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a little bit to get into this dual timeline novel featuring childhood best friends Billie and Cassie, but once I did I was hooked. Now estranged but bound by a shared secret, they are 30-somethings living in NYC. Billie is a single travel writer and concierge for wealthy clients and Cassie is a wealthy, married influencer with a new baby and a new clothing boutique who goes on the kind of vacations Billie writes about. Usurped by Cassie’s college friend and husband’s cousin McKay, Billie is on the outside looking in, stalking Cassie on Instagram, when one night everything changes.

With themes that include wealth and class, internet influencer culture, mental health and more, this layered novel deserves a read. Four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Once I started reading Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering I couldn't put it down. I was similarly drawn to her first novel, Tell Me Lies, an all-time favorite of mine. This novel focuses on the story of two young women, Billie and Cassie, both in their 30's. Alternating between the two characters, the story unfolds in chapters focusing on their past and present. It addresses the strong bonds between friends as well as the jealousies, insecurities and life experiences that shape who we are. The subjects of motherhood, female friendship and trauma are explored in relatable storylines. The suspense will propel you until the very end. Definitely an addictive read and something that would be a fun book club read. Carola Lovering hits it out of the ballpark once again.

Despite Billie and Cassie’s lifelong friendship, once Cassie is married with a new group of high-class friends, Billie finds herself an outsider more and more often, until they almost never see or talk to each other.

That is, until tragedy strikes in Cassie’s family, and the only person Cassie wants to see is Billie. But the reason is not necessarily pure - Cassie is horrified at the thought that someone from her and Billie’s past is closing in on her.


Bye, Baby was a good read. It was told from both Billie and Cassie which kept the storyline interesting. I have mixed feelings on how the ending played out though!

Thank you to @netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

#netgalley #netgallyreviewer #netgalleyreader #netgalleyarc #fiction #booklover #bookreviews #whatimreading #whatiread #bookish #bookstagram #bookworm #booknerd #bookaddict #bibliophile #bookgram #bookstagrammer #instabooks #bookreviewer #takealookitsinabook #libraryreads #byebaby #carolalovering

I liked this book, it was an easy ready. Didn't particularly blow my mind and it felt like there were still some loose-ends/Didn't particularly like the ending. Ft a little lackluster

Bye, Baby
By: Carola Lovering
4 👶👶👶👶

Billie and Cassie have been best friends since they were young. Now as adults Cassie’s baby is taken in the middle of a party.
👶
Cassie and Billie share a secret from their past. Billie did not have the best life. Could the disappearance of Cassie’s baby have anything to do with their past?
👶
Sometimes friendships change over the years as people grow in different directions which is the case with these ladies. Cassie has a privileged life with a child and Billie does not have children and her life is very different.
👶
A heart pounding psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. Available March 5, 2024.

❓ Have you ever lost a friendship that you cherished?
#byebaby, #carolalovering, #stmartinspress, #bookreview, #bookstagram, #stamperlady50, #macmillianaudio, #netgalley

This book did a great job of showing how friendships can evolve over time, even with your closest friend. I loved seeing both best friend’s perspectives and getting to see what happened in previous years of their friendship. I think this would be a great read if you are interested in that dynamic, are a mom, someone who knows they never want to be a mom (me!) or just someone who likes a good amount of suspense. You get answers to several questions all throughout the book but still have a few until the ending. I personally loved the ending and felt that it provided answers to all my questions while still leaving the future up to my own imagination.

Such a good one, with good twists and turns. A perfect beach read, and one I adored as a New Yorker, who lives in Gramercy :)

What did I just read? Carola Lovering is now an auto buy author for me, I don't care what it is.

Thanks to Negalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review in advance

As usual, Carola Lovering does not let me down. Her new book about a best friend who feels left behind is a high-wire act of a tense thriller.
Billie West seems like an intelligent, friendly young woman who thrives at her job as a travel agent. She’s a bit miffed that her best friend since childhood, Cassie Barnwell, has left her behind as Cassie becomes a famous influencer. Not only has Cassie left her behind, she intentionally rubs Billie’s face in it. As Billie reminisces about the close friendship the two young girls had, and the one terrible secret she keeps for Cassie, she slowly becomes more and more agitated. Her behavior becomes creepy, stalker-type, unstable. Then, in a moment of weakness, Billie takes the one thing that will knock Miss Cassie to her knees. She steals Cassie’s baby.
Billie is now needed by Cassie, and stays by her side as Cassie recovers from the horror. The tension grows, the Psycho knife theme plays, and I can’t turn the pages fast enough. This is a train wreck that can’t end well. But leave it to Carola to write a final chapter that no one will see coming. Definitely a must-read for mystery & thriller readers.
Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is March 5, 2024.

Carola Lovering is back again baby!! This was such a grounded story and honestly one of my favourite aspects of this book. So often in thrillers, I find things quickly get nonsensical and fantastical in what’s supposed to be a grounded story for the sake of “the twist.” And Bye, Baby doesn’t commit this foul at all and stays completed grounded in reality the entire. There’s no giant twist, there’s no step sister twice removed that happens to look exactly like the main character waiting to pop out at us in surprise. And I’m so relieved for it.

We are focused on two different women and the lives they lead in growing together as people and what happens when adulthood starts separating them. Sometimes people truly just grow apart and that’s okay but it doesn’t discount the feelings left behind. And this tackles that feeling of insecurity and being in limbo and turns this drama into a thriller. It gave me anxiety in ways that some other thrillers haven’t because it just felt so REAL. What happens when you’re rooting for both characters and don’t want to see either of them fumble??

Overall this was a great thriller that had me reading about 40% in each sitting, so I went through it quick. The only reason this isn’t rated higher is purely due to my other personal preferences and needing to feel really moved by a book to give it that high of a rating. But as a thriller, in doing what it does, it succeeds in every way, I’d say this is a 5 star thriller and should be treated as such.

I enjoyed the multiple POV and past/present timeline. The plot had plenty of suspense and I finished the book in 1 day! The influencer portion of the plot was boring, though.

Cassie and Billie have been best friends since childhood, but grow apart in their adult lives. However, Billie can't let go of the one sided toxic friendship due to their history and one big secret that keeps her from fully losing touch. At first I was annoyed about the extraordinary lengths Billie goes to maintain the friendship, but this unfolds in the story.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Carola Lovering. While I didn't love it, it was entertaining enough and a very quick read, thanks to the dual POV's and timelines. I didn't find either of the main characters very likeable, but I was interested enough to keep reading to find out what happens to this baby that has gone missing. Ultimately, this is a story about a toxic friendship, and was a little like watching a train wreck (not that I've ever seen a train wreck).
The writing was good and I will definitely try her previous and future work. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital copy.

𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘.....

Special thanks to @netgalley @carolatlovering and @stmartinspress for the #gifted ARC.

👉🏼 swipe for synopsis ➡️

MY REVIEW::
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨️spoiler review✨️

This was more of a domestic suspense than a "mystery/thriller" for me. It was good, though. I went in blind (like usual) and wasn't disappointed.
It's a different story than I'd normally go after, but the drama had me wanting more throughout the book, which made this an easy read.

Billie and Cassie were the best of friends - through the good and bad times - 'til they weren't. And for some reason .... Billie just couldn't let that go. Cassie has moved on , clearly by all her Insta posts, but Billie was always glued to her phone wondering when Cassie would call her?!

Then one night, Cassie's birthday of all nights, Billie finds out she isn't invited - how dare her best friend! One thing leads to another, and she's taken the baby!!!!!

As the story goes on, the tension grows because Cassie magically wants Billie back in her life. But, will Billie tell her her secret, or keep it like they kept their childhood dark secret between just them?

I found myself relating to Billie in more ways than one, and sometimes it made me upset because I think she deserved better and should have walked away long before this night ever happened. I've experienced this type of "friendship" and it's not great. Toxic would be the word. I never wish that on any human. I mean, cmon - we👏🏼 should 👏🏼be 👏🏼better 👏🏼than 👏🏼that👏🏼!

Anyways - I'll get off my soap box 🤭
Preorder this book! You won't be disappointed!

Pub Date:
Mar 5, 2024

QOTD❓️⁉️❓️ Have you ever been in a toxic friendship? Are you still in it, or did you get out?

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I was already intrigued by the blurb, but when I saw that Bye, Baby was on the Goodreads list for most anticipated books of 2024, I just had to read it immediately!

While it is technically a Mystery/Thriller, Bye Baby feels like more of a psychological thriller or a character study of sorts. There's no "ticking clock" so to speak, but more of a slow unraveling of each of the characters motivations, flaws and desires. The characters are interesting, unique and I was extremely invested in their stories. The writing makes you want more, more and more - I read the entire book in a single day because I just couldn't put it down!

The way the story unfolded was quite refreshing and I'm definitely interested in checking out more books by Carola Lovering. 4.5 out of 5 stars.