3.5 stars! This is the fourth book I’ve read by this author. She’s no doubt a very good writer with fantastic character development. Don’t go in expecting a thriller - this is a novel about toxic friendship, motherhood (or lack thereof), influencer life, and more. I think it would make a good book club pick for discussion. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Oh, this book! I have many thoughts. It depicts a really complicated relationship between two girls who grow up being best friends, but they’re very different, with different values and goals. Billie is really the main character, but we are allowed to know a lot of her friend Cassie also.

There were several “mini-climax” points in this book, but the part that keeps on twisting around is when Cassies’s baby was taken from her terrace while she’s in the middle of her birthday celebration. Many events spiral from this. But these girls have a history, and it’s very complex. No one outside their relationship truly understands it , because there are secrets that only they know.

This hit some notes on a personal level for me due to some friendship history. I didn’t expect that, and it has definitely caused me to examine some memories.

I really loved the book. It’s about so much more than these few surface details. I highly recommend it.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I truly enjoy Carola Lovering’s stories and her writing style. I enjoyed this story but kept thinking there should be more “this can’t be it”. I think this was mostly due that this book is advertised as mystery & thriller when in fact it’s women’s fiction & drama. Had it been advertised in the proper category this would have been a solid 5 star review. Also at 84%, why does the description of an unpleasant person have to include “ he probably is a republican”. There is no mention of politics anywhere else, why was this necessary? Thanks for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

I must be a hater to my core, because whenever I’m meant to hate characters I always enjoy the book more. 😂 Billie and Cassie are awful in their own ways and I ate it up. You get both of their POVs as well as chapters sprinkled in from their past together. I really enjoyed this story, it just wasn’t as suspenseful or thrilling as I anticipated. Thankfully I enjoyed the writing style and story itself regardless, so I still flew through this one.

Slight spoiler ahead!:
Literally no one learned their lesson in this story. I can’t tell if I love it for that or not.

This was a 5 star thriller for me, which doesn't happen very often! I loved this so much.

One of the things I don't like about reading domestic thrillers is that they are so formulaic, so anytime I manage to stumble along one that has many similarities thematically but also manages to stand apart with a unique storyline, those always hit just right for me, which was exactly what this was.

This was one of those books where the MC should be unlikable and hatable, but somehow you find yourself liking her anyway in spite of all the info you know about her and you root for her, that is a testament to Lovering's crafty authoring skills bc that is no easy feat!

I enjoyed this from start to finish, it hooked me from the get go and kept me turning the pages till the very end. The pacing was excellent and the ending was a solid ending, which is another thing that seems hard to do. Often the ending ruins the entire book, but that was not the case in this book. 5 star reading experience!

This was a great thriller! Even though as a reader you know what happened, watching the story unfold and getting the back story was still very interesting. I couldn't wait to see how it all played out, and I felt so emotions as the storyline unfolded. I was hooked from the very first paragraph, and stayed hooked until the end.

Definitely compelling and a little twisty. By twisty, I mean the people. It had me rethinking my social media usage with followers because of Cassie. And wow, I could not stand Cassie 🤪 I was pretty hooked from the beginning and enjoyed the past with present build up, with it all coming together at the end. But at about 60-70%, I felt it could’ve been wrapped sooner.

Two best friends who have drifted apart growing up, as you’re discovering why, about Billie and Cassie. I obviously didn’t support all these girls' decisions, but it’s what made the story even more addictive and I really enjoy her writing! The circumstances that fell upon Billie weren’t fair growing up but I wish she built a bigger backbone sometimes. I also wanted more justice for Billie against Cassie!

Cassie was so cringe for so many reasons from her gold digging ways, her mama friends, and their snobby mentality. The fratty trust fund men. I’m honestly good on having babies for the time being, lol. I loved the message on how not everyone wants to be a mother. I appreciated the details on NYC for the setting because I knew all the neighborhoods and things they were up to and wow did it fit the mold for them. Cassie and her Greenwich mentality smh. Justice for her sweet parents too!!! (Not me giving no remorse for a mother whose baby went missing ☠️)

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martian's for allowing me to have an advance reader copy of Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering. This was such a trippy story. It has dual povs along with being in the present and having flashbacks as well. Both the girls have their issues and both the girls have their strengths. But holy moly Billie's past is so sad and it helps paint why she is. Cassie on the other hand, she is on a whole other level. The present of the story takes place around Cassie's daughter missing and the past goes from when they first meet up until the wedding of Cassie. Id go more into detail but it all fits together and it is crazy. If you like suspenseful stories you will enjoy this one.

There are very few books that explore the nature of female friendships, and this is one of them. Childhood relationships change and people either grow together or grow apart. What happens when one person is not ready to let go of the friendship? We see Billie as she deals with Cassie who is increasingly growing away from her. When Cassie's child goes missing, we see how strong the bond is between Billie and Cassie, and see glimpses of how their relationship used to be. But Billie is the one responsible for Cassie's daughter's kidnapping. How will their relationship navigate this?
I expected this to be a run of the mill mystery/thriller, but it explores relationships more deeply than expected. It is refreshing to see women friendships that exist outside of male influence. This book is more drama than mystery, and I'm ok with that.

Billie and Cassie have been best friends since childhood but seem to have grown apart in recent years as adults. Their backstory and friendship progression was interesting to see the deterioration of their relationship. Friendships do evolve and change over time.

The first chapter was really great - however, I thought as the story unfolded, I just could not understand the reasoning behind Billie and her decision to kidnap her best friend's baby, lack of remorse, or guilt as her friend was suffering severe anxiety over the unknown. I just didn't care for this story.

Let me start by saying I've read 34 books this year so far. Most of them were good enough, a few of them were pretty good but there has only be a couple that really stood out to me and earned a solid 4 stars. And if I was giving half ratings, I'd easily give this one 4.5.
This writer is gooooood. She really hooks you in with flawed but interesting characters. If you've ever had a friendship that you felt you tried harder to keep than they did, this book will truly resonate with you. I have to say that Billie's backstory really tore me up. Anyone with similar trauma will understand and feel for her. My heart truly hurt. But I think that is a compliment to Carola's writing because it felt so raw and real, I forgot that this was fiction. Cassie on the other hand, I think most of us have encountered someone like that (maybe not to that extent) and have felt the awkwardness of seeing them change and "grow" away from the friendship. You feel for her as a mother but at the same time, she's been so insufferable for so long, it's also hard to understand her.

In the end, I feel like the story wraps up well. Kudos to Carola for writing such a story that I could hardly put it down.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. I would easily recommend this to the right type of reader (with a trigger warning for SA).

5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

**Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read the digital advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!**

I couldn't put this down. From the beginning to the end of the story, I was invested. It was truly suspenseful, yet not what I had anticipated. I initially considered giving this book 4 stars due to that, but later changed it to 5. It was an addictive and excellent read. I loved it and thought about it all night.

Cassie and Billie, lifelong best friends, found themselves growing apart after Cassie's marriage and the birth of her child. Billie, hurt by Cassie's changed behavior, impulsively takes an action that profoundly alters the trajectory of their friendship.

This book had me at the edge of my seat, eagerly awaiting the twists and turns. I was in a constant state of anticipation and couldn't predict the outcome. Even though the story didn't unfold as I expected, the conclusion brought peace & closure for both characters. I also really liked the way Bye, Baby was used in relationship to the event with Ella, but also Cassie & Billie's love for Dirty Dancing.

Among the characters, Billie resonated with me the most. Her pain felt relatable, considering the trials she had faced in her youth. I also admired her firm stance on not wanting to become a mother, and her commitment to this decision. Her intentions were always rooted in love and the deep bond she shared with Cassie, which Cassie seemingly disregarded thoughtlessly. I feel like Billie also felt like she owed Cassie a debt due to what she had done for her when they were younger. On the contrary, Cassie's demeanor grated on me from the outset. Despite her affection for Billie, her perception of a successful life, coupled with her privileged status, overshadowed life's more meaningful aspects—until her own daughter came into the picture.

Overall, Bye, Baby was a great read for me. I will pick up more from Carola Lovering in the future. I already watched the tv adaptation of Tell Me Lies and loved it!!

I couldn’t put it down! Without giving away too much, this was an intriguing look at the friendship between two girls, now women, and the ways their lives came together and drifted apart over time. The main event which I guess takes the story into “thriller” territory kept me hooked until the end though this is really not a typical psychological thriller story. Thanks NetGalley & St. Martins Press for the chance to read an early copy!

Billie and Cassie used to be inseparable growing up, but after college the two grow apart. Cassie gets married into a very wealthy family and has a beautiful daughter she flaunts all over social media to her tens of thousands of followers. Billie, who is single and childless, gets pushed out of Cassie's "perfect" life. She can't understand how it feels to be in a happy relationship and a mother.

The friendship soon becomes one-sided and a bit obsessive to the point where it makes Billie's point of view a little uncomfortable to read. But I still was glued to this book. It had me so invested in why Billie just could not let her friendship with Cassie go. I could have finished this book in a day or two but work and life kept interrupting me. I kept teetering between 3.5 and 4 stars on this one, but because the story was such a unique take on obsessive friendships, I settled on 4 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC ebook approval for my honest opinion.
Expected Publication Date March 5, 2024

Really good!! I enjoyed how good the alternating perspectives were. The characters were realistic and had everything that I was looking for in the description. I enjoyed how good Carola Lovering’s writing was. Would definitely recommend to those who like psychological thrillers as well as the whole “friends with secrets” trope. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

The story is told through Billie and Cassie and jumps between past and present timelines. Billie works as a travel consultant, where she travels to beautiful destinations to stay in five-star resorts and then later, sells these resorts to her high-end clientele who take million-dollar vacations with their second wives. Billie comes from humble beginnings and since the day Cassie walked into her life, she's wanted nothing but the best for the both of them. After college, the pair set their eyes on the big city, New York City, and they never wanted to look back.

I could say a lot about Billie. I could dissect her personality and pick on all of her flaws, that would be easy but instead, I take pity on Billie. In so many areas, the people who were supposed to love her failed her and then as she got older, she could have sought out the help that she needed, and she didn't - so for that, she failed herself. And once she was in a pattern of not showing up for herself, it became easy to quiet her own voice over and over again. I hated that for her.

Cassie Barnwell Adler on the other hand, had everything she could ever want, and yet and still, she wanted more. Always the one with Moët & Chandon Dom Pérignon taste on a Zima budget, Cassie wasn't satisfied. Cassie wanted a taste of the good life and not just a sip, she wanted the whole vineyard. Once Grant Adler stumbled into her life, she knew she had found a sucker so, she licked it. I don't think I've hated a single character more than I hated Cassidy Barnwell Adler.

Bye, Baby was a wonderfully written novel that highlights the strains and constraints of friendships as the people involved in those friendships grow and evolve in separate directions. It subtly says out loud things that women have been saying in private for years; "I'm married now, I can't hang out with my single friends" and "You're not a mother, you wouldn't understand." And kudos to Carola Lovering who chose to uplift childless by choice women. It's not "weird". It is simply a choice that women are making for their lives and they don't owe anyone an explanation - not even their so-call best friends!

This was an intriguing thriller that hooked me right away! This book has a lot of exciting plot points - an influencer, an obsessed friend, kidnapping. It was hard for me to put down once I started.

I am always a fan of the past and present flashbacks but this was made better by having the POV’s of both Cassie and Billie. I got to see from both of them how they got to be in that situation.

I think the ending wrapped up nicely. It was nice to see both women realize that they weren’t faultless in the events that happened. I’m glad it wasn’t just Billie being blamed.

This was my first Carola Lovering book but it won’t be my last!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for access to this ARC.

Carola Lovering reaches into a best-friend relationship that spans a lifetime. Billie wants her relationship with Cassie to go on forever, but Cassie has gotten married and had a new baby and wants new rich friends and Billie just doesn't fit in. Billie has a very successful career however, she can't move on and is crushed by Cassie's estrangement and avoiding her. She will do anything to get back into Cassie's life.
The story shows obsession, shallowness, desperation, and a past they both want to forget.
I enjoyed the story but I found myself irritated at both of them. Billie finally found a man who cares for her and she will throw it away for someone who doesn't want her in her life anymore. Cassie wants only to forget the past.
There is not much mystery except why Cassie pulled away. The story goes from present to past easily and fills in your answers. Thank you NetGalley and publishers St Martin’s Press for this ARC my opinion is I'm glad I read it and would recommend it as an interesting relationship story. Don't look for a lot of mystery.

WOW WOW WOW! Bye, Baby is my first book by author Carola Lovering but will definitely not be my last! Cassie and Billie are best friends since childhood but Cassie started pulling away when they reached their 30’s. It alternates between their first meeting/growing up together and present day. Despite their differences, Billie isn’t ready to give up on their friendship, and when tragedy strikes, the only person Cassie wants around is Billie. These girls are toxic and yet I found myself torn between loving them and hating them. The characters are so complex and their relationship has so many layers due to the traumas they dealt with, but they went through them together. I gotta say, I would love a sequel, and I hope this becomes a tv series because I would love to binge-watch these two. I also loved the descriptive writing and I did not want to put this book down! Carola did an excellent job of making me feel sympathy and disgust towards these girls. The ending was satisfying but I do think there could be more told, hence the sequel I’m hoping for. This is the best psychological thriller I’ve read in ages, and I recommend if you’re looking to get out of a reading slump!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

A must read if you are into suspense novels, influencers, NYC and toxic friendships. The book centers around Cassie and Billie they have been friends for a long time but they have recently grown apart after Cassie got married and had a baby. Billie will do anything to keep Cassie in her life and goes to extremes to do so until she makes an impulsive decision that changes everything.