Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering is such a good domestic thriller.

I read this book in 24 hours. It was so fantastic.

The characters and the plot are fresh and unique.

The twists were fantastic.

There is a crime in this book - a baby goes missing - but it is more a story of a toxic friendship than a psychological thriller or mystery. I was pulled into the story from the beginning and the secrets and lies that were revealed kept me interested. Friendship that goes awry and some suspense made for a really good story.

⚠️ Sexual assault

3.5 stars rounded up

Cassie and Billie have been friends since they were 12 years old. Cassie is a gold digger and wants more. Billie lives with her Mom and her boyfriend Wade. Billie's Mom is diagnosed with Alzheimer's at 47. As they've grown older they've grown out of their friendship. Billie is still holding on. They share a secret.

This book is told in 2 pov's and two timelines, then and now. This book is not really a mystery or thriller. This book did catch me at the beginning but lost me during the end. It fell a little flat. More drama. The characters aren't really likeable. This book wasn't my favorite. 🤷

Billie and Cassie were best friends all the way through college, but then Cassie started to change. If Billie were honest with herself, Cassie started changing long before that. She became money & status obsessed, and only wanted to be surrounded by the uber-wealthy. Then Cassie met Grant and they fell in love, and Cassie wrote Billie out of her life. Billie tried to stay in touch, and Cassie would respond on rare occasions out of guilt, but the friendship was not what it used to be. So when Billie goes to her Boss's apartment to feed her cat while she is on vacation, she realizes two things: 1) her boss has just moved to an apartment right under Cassie's apartment 2) despite the fact that Cassie claimed she was not doing anything for her birthday, Cassie is having a huge party at her apartment. Billie is devastated that she was lied to and as she sits in Jane's apartment listening to the party overhead, she hears the screams of Cassie's baby girl. They go on and on, and the longer they do, the more agitated Billie gets. How can Cassie just keep posting pictures and videos to her Instagram page and ignore her child? How does no one hear her? In a snap moment of insanity, Billie climbs the fire escape and sees the baby alone in her stroller. She takes her and goes back to Jane's apartment and comforts the child. Even after she hears Cassie's screams, and people calling out for someone to call the police, Billie just sits there....numb. She doesn't know what to do. It's not like she can walk up there now and just hand the baby back with no repercussions, can she?

I always enjoy this author's books. This one was no exception. It was told alternating between before and after, so you saw their friendship from the beginning, up through when Billie took the baby, and then after the baby was returned to Cassie. Cassie was a thoroughly unlikeable character,, but I really liked Billie. She seemed genuine, flawed and down-to-earth, not distracted by shiny things like Cassie was. Billie had an extremely tough childhood and that shaped her adulthood. I do need to issue a trigger warning - there are scenes of sexual abuse towards teenagers, so keep that in mind in case that is a trigger for you. This fast-paced drama is perfect for fans of B.A. Paris and Catherine McKenzie.

While I wouldn't call this a thriller, but more of women's fiction with a suspense element, I did really enjoy it. Two friends with a tight bond as teenagers have drifted apart. When one decides to exclude the other from a milestone event, a chain of events is set into place that will cause them both to re-evaluate their bond. Very readable and yet with a lot to discuss - would make a great book club pick!

I’m having such a hard time with this review because while I don’t think the book was bad I just didn’t enjoy it very much. I think going in with expectations of a thriller was not the right mindset. This book was not suspenseful or mysterious at all. It was drama drama drama and I think if I had been better prepared for something more domestic I might have enjoyed it more.

I liked the dual POV and timelines a lot. I thought switching between each character gave a lot of necessary context for their relationship to each other and learning about their friendship as kids solidified a lot of the feelings of codependency. I did not care for either woman though. Both of them had a lot of issues with how they communicated not just with the other but everyone around them. I know that’s part of the drama but it just got so annoying.

The premise was interesting enough but unfortunately the execution ending up being very boring for me. If I hadn’t have had the audio to help push me along I might have not finished. I think a lot of people will like it because, as I said before, it’s not a bad book. It just didn’t fit into what I needed from it to work well for me.

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering is a domestic thriller, which tells the story of a friendship that changes over time as the two women grow from pre-teens to women in their 30's who are on differing paths. Lovering uses a dual perspective, dual-timeline writing style that allows the reader to find out secrets and truths slowly over the course of the novel, which adds to the anxiety induced by two not-very-nice main characters.

The reader knows who kidnapped the baby from the very beginning of the book. The suspense comes in finding out why and how it came about, and then, how it is going to be resolved. a To be honest, I didn't find this domestic thriller to be especially thrilling or suspenseful. I did, however, see it as more of a relationship study, with the ebbs and flows of the girls' friendship over the years extremely realistically portrayed as the BFFs grew up and grew apart. What I struggled with was that both women were, to me, not sympathetic characters, in fact, I disliked each of them very much albeit for different reasons. It was difficult to feel sorry for them or for their circumstances, as neither one made great decisions.

As domestic thrillers go, Bye, Baby will not be tops for my recommendations, though it was a pleasing enough read--just not an edge of your seat thrill ride.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering. The opinions in this review are my own.

[3.5 Stars]

You should be able to trust your best friend - especially your childhood best friend - right? For Cassie Adler and Billie West, this is unfortunately not the case. After 20 years of friendship, it is clear that they are no longer the friends they once were - and that the secrets they're hiding are detrimental to the other party. However, when Cassie's infant daughter goes missing, the only person she wants to comfort her is Billie - who also may or may not have stolen and returned this child. Over two weeks they rekindle what they once had, but it won't last long. Once the truth comes out, their worlds are shattered even further. Will Cassie understand Billie's motives or is it too late? How will this affect their friendship going forward? They may never recover from this tumultuous night.

I wouldn't classify this book as a mystery/thriller - at least not compared to the usual books I read in this genre. I'm not sure how I would classify it, but I was expecting more twists than the book had. That being said, I did enjoy this book and read it in roughly a day. As some of the twists began to unfold, I found myself wanting more and more from these characters. There were certain parts of the book that I felt could have gotten more attention, but overall, I enjoyed the ride this story took me on. If you do not come at it from a mystery/thriller perspective, I think you'll really enjoy this book!

Cassie and Billie were best friends, from school chums, through college. They were a solid twosome. But Cassie had plans to move upward socially and Billie had no such desire. She wanted to go to college, get a good job, and she wished her mother would come back from dementia. They experience a tremendously momentous occurrence that changes their lives forever.

Cassie is now a new mother, married to a man whose family is wealthy. And she's moved on from her friendship with Billie.

But can such good friends ever really sever their relationship? Until one fateful night when a second tremendously momentous event happens.

The story is told in different timeframes, from each woman's point of view. The reader knows what has happened and it could be gut wrenching, knowing what could happen.

I thought the book was very well written and the story ties all the bits together really well.

Billie and Cassie have been friends since they were children. Now they are 35 years old, living in New York. Cassie has achieved everything she wanted - rich husband, beautiful baby, owning a shop and online business, and quickly becoming a popular online influencer. Billie is still single, working as a luxury travel agent, and wants nothing more than to become part of Cassie's life again. As Cassie rejects Billie again and again, Billie becomes desperate to work her way back into Cassie's inner circle.

This was one of those books that you think is about one thing, but is actually about something else. There's a compelling backstory that ties these girls together, but it's also a great story of friendships ending for whatever reason and the person who isn't ready to say goodbye yet. Cassie is the pretty social media girl you just want to dislike on principle but you'd have to be pretty cold-hearted to not feel for her when her baby goes missing. Billie just wants her friend and nothing she does turns out the way she wants.

I definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available March 5, 2024.

3.5 stars. With her first three novels, Carola Lovering seemed to have found her niche exploring toxic romantic relationships and the emotional fallout resulting from those entanglements. In Bye, Baby, a toxic relationship is still central to the story -- but this time, it's best friends instead of romantic partners.

Billie and Cassie became instant best friends at age 12, when Cassie moved to Billie's upstate New York town. Now they're in their mid-30s, and their lives have taken very different paths. Cassie married into a wealthy family and lives with her husband and new baby in a swanky Gramercy Park apartment, growing her followers on Instagram as she promotes her upscale boutique. Billie, meanwhile, is successful but single (and childless by choice), and spends her evenings watching Cassie's charmed life unfold through Instagram stories. The women have grown apart, something that Billie refuses to accept. Billie will do whatever it takes to stay in Cassie's life -- even if that means kidnapping Cassie's baby.

Bye, Baby unfolds on two timelines, delving into both Billie and Cassie's current relationship and the past events that caused Billie to trauma-bond to Cassie so strongly. It's not a thriller, but instead a domestic drama/character study that explores the psyches of two women, one of them incredibly damaged. Lovering really excels at this -- painting complex portraits of her characters, exploring the dark things that affect their mental states and the ways they are shaped by their trauma. Billie is such an interesting character, sympathetic both in spite of and because of her choices, while the portrayal of Cassie is much more shallow. I would have liked some past chapters narrated from Cassie's perspective to understand her a bit better. I never connected with her and didn't feel much for her aside from annoyance.

Lovering infuses the plot with lots of interesting commentary surrounding influencer culture, materialism, and the way women's choices are perceived, delving into difficult topics like Alzheimer's disease, sexual assault, and social discrimination and classism. Bye, Baby is a deft exploration of a toxic female friendship from both sides: how it feels to be the one holding on, and how it feels to be the one pulling away. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the early reading opportunity.

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Carola Lovering's novels. Her writing is tight and propulsive and I can never put down the book! Bye, Baby is no different and has everything I love: a complex, dysfunctional friendship, the dark side of the influencing world, rich people behaving badly, a love story, NYC, and a sprinkle of fashion.
I particularly loved the angst I felt in the second half, and was eager to know how it would all resolve.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley! This was an interesting read/ thriller. The buildup to the mystery was done pretty well but the ending was a bit lackluster without a clear ending. Definitely more of a suspense than thriller and the epitome of a toxic friendship!

Wow! This was such a well-crafted story! I love how she contrasted the friendships and relationships of Cassie and Billie. It wasn't exactly suspense, but it read like a suspense novel and kept me turning pages.
My only wish is that the strong language had been cut back- not a fan of all the f-bombs

I want to thank the author and the publisher for this book.

I really wanted to love this book as the concept was one that intrigued me. Cassie and Billie have been friends for what can be described as a lifetime. They met when they were twelve and bonded over their unspeakable trauma, kept each other's secrets, and a world where they were the only ones to exist. As time passed, things began to change as they grew up and grew apart.

It can be said that Cassie has a lot of what Billie aspires to have and does what she aspires to do as well. Cassie has a very wealthy and luxurious lifestyle and what appears to be a happy family through the eye of the media. One day, when Billie is feeling hopeless about the friendship, she makes the decision that will change everything.

I really wanted to enjoy this book; the author's writing style is unique and captivates you in the first chapter. However, I feel the book was dragged on; I understand the timeline is to show the friendship dynamic and what led to Billie doing what she did. As we got further into the story, it was apparent that neither of these characters were happy or likable. I also don’t think this book should have been labeled as a mystery and certainly not a thriller. This book is just a character study about a friendship that turned toxic and the various life experiences that follow.

Overall, I appreciated the chance to read this novel; however, it just wasn't for me. I felt that the ending left me confused and frustrated as well, and the book did not meet the expectations set based on the genre and blurb.

Wow, this book!!!! I wanted to really sink in and read this and enjoy the ride by Carola Lovering. I loved her previous novels, but this one tops them all. If you are looking for toxic friendships, strong themes, twists/turns and OMG reveals (especially why a character goes to such extremes) this book has it all. (Yes, this book has an unfortunate title).

Why did this book start with such a bang when it feels like it should be the reveal? Read to find out. I like how the big event happens but then the following chapters is a countdown to why. LOVE THAT!

Billie and Cassie are lifelong friends until Cassie gets married. Cassie pretty much turns her back on Billie because she does not wants to put the past behind her, especially parental financial issues. Cassie marries someone wealthy and becomes a mother. Billie is dating a police officer and is childless. Cassie puts her whole life on Instagram. Billie is deeply hurt.

I was really starting to dislike both of these characters and the very different lives they hold and why each has a grudge with the other.

BUT OMG, when you get to the why!!!! HOLY CRAP!!

You will either be #teamCassie or #teamBillie.

I am definitely gettinng this book at publishing date. Very much recommended. I hope Lovering's next book is just as good as this one.

Thanks to Netgalley, Carola Lovering and St Martins Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 3/5/2024

Loved this book! Love the multiple perspectives and the twists as well! I will say at first it was kind of slow but then I got in to it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. This was my first book by Carole Lovering, and it won’t be my last. Bye, Baby is fast paced and I found that I didn't want to put it down. It alternates between the perspective of Billie and Cassie, two best friends who have a twisted relationship. The story navigates between the kidnapping of Cassie’s baby and the aftermath, along with the past of both Cassie and Billie.

Read if you like:
👯‍♀️ Stories about Friends
⏳ Past & Present Timelines
2️⃣ Dual POV
🤫 Secrets

This book is truly the exploration of best friends that drift apart and the consequences of lack of clear communication and resentment when a friendship dims overtime with one party pulling away and the other not understanding why it’s happening because they have poured all of themselves into the relationship. It’s messy, it’s toxic, it’s full of lies, confidences, and ultimately trust even when the relationship is falling apart.

There is one part of the story that got to me a little bit, and as someone who doesn’t normally become bothered by things and doesn’t check trigger warnings I would recommend people go in knowing there is a scene that was detailed enough to take me back that depicts non-consensual sexual contact between two characters.

Overall I think I landed somewhere right around loving this one because it was very bingeable and kept me hooked from start to finish.

Thank you so much to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

“Bye, Baby” ended up being our bookclub pick for this month and I am so excited to talk with my friends about this one at the end of the month! There is just so much to unpack! I did feel this one is more of a domestic drama vs a thriller, but I honestly loved that. I enjoyed the exploration of the complex feelings of motherhood and friendships, even though I did struggle to connect to either of the main characters. I read “Tell Me Lies” by this author last year so I had a feeling this one would be pretty shocking as well, and I was not disappointed! Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!