4 out of 5 stars!

When Cassie Barnwell can’t find her infant baby, Ella, her world is turned upside down. Who would take her? It couldn’t possibly be her childhood best friend, Billie West, could it? But after hearing Cassie scream when not being able to find her baby, Billie looks down and realizes she is responsible. Cassie and Billie have been friends for almost two decades and share a secret. But after Cassie gets married to a wealthy man, has a baby, and becomes an influencer, their relationship becomes strained. Billie wants things to get back to normal, but can they after Billie takes Ella?

After reading the first chapter, I was hooked in a way I haven’t been recently! I read this book in under a day because I just couldn’t put it down. “Bye, Baby” has everything from suspense, to thrillers, and romance. I will admit, this probably isn’t the biggest thriller I have ever read, but this book kept me at the edge of my seat. I was so invested in what happened and how it would play out. There were no jaw-dropping twists, but I really enjoyed the ending and how everything played out.

I thought everything in this book was very intentional and planned out thoroughly. I loved the flashbacks and thought they really helped follow the story and helped it make sense. Also, it really made me understand the characters and understand the decisions they made throughout the story. Overall, I really enjoyed the characters and thought they all brought something to the story.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Carola Lovering, and NetGallery for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This book was such a dark, sexy, suspenseful read and I loved it! SO MUCH DRAMA and I’m here for it! I absolutely love @carolatlovering books, this is my 3rd one from her and it did not disappoint. I loved the different POVs and the flashbacks getting to learn about Cassie and Billie’s complicated friendship, I know “Tell Me Lies” has been made into a series, but I wouldn’t be opposed to have this one made into one too! 🤌🏻

Thank you @stmartinspress for the arc in exchange for my honest review. Pub date: March

I thought this story started out interesting, but the main event happened just after the halfway point and it lost steam from there.

I wasn't a fan of the characters in this book, but I was okay with that because I was curious to find out how these people got to the point they were at. Unfortunately, you return to the prologue just after the halfway point and the remainder of the book is just the fallout from the event. You would expect the fallout might be thrilling based on the blurb, but it is sad in a pathetic sort of way. There are also a lot of dumb decisions, which I found frustrating.

Eventually, the book comes back around and the ending was good, but it was too late to completely save the story for me. I thought the overarching story was good, but that section of the book just wasn't executed very well.

Thank you #netgalley for this ARC. I raced through it in a little over 24 hours. I found it to be enjoyably fast paced and filled with complex, flawed characters. I loved the back and forth between Billie and Cassie, and the jumping between decades. I thought the entire storyline was well-written and well-executed. Bravo!

I was intrigued with the synopsis of this book. Billie hears her best friend Cassie screaming when she realizes her baby is missing but looks down to said baby in her own arms. Neither of the two main characters were likeable. Cassie is a pretentious influencer, which I really dislike in books. Social media is everywhere in real life so I don’t need it in my books. Billie is a bit of a spineless 2-D character that obsessed over the friendship. I kept hoping for a plot twist or some big reveal but what was likely meant to be that, just wasn’t. The link connecting these women wasn’t as crazy as I think it was supposed to be. There were also coincidences that were way too convenient and unrealistic. We know from the synopsis (and the beginning of the book) who took the baby so it didn’t leave much mystery or thrill to be had.

Title: Bye, Baby
Author: Carola Lovering
Pub Date: March 5, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cassie and Billie have been friends since childhood. Now at 35 years old, they lead very different lives. Cassie married into wealth and just had a baby, while Billie is single, lives alone, and does not want children. Cassie has moved on from her friendship with Billie and prefers to surround herself with people more like herself, but Billie can’t seem to let her friendship with Cassie go. All she can think about is the history they have together, which includes a secret that they have sworn to never tell. Jeoulousy and anger finally get the best of Billie, and one night she makes a spur of the moment decision to take Cassie’s baby for a few hours and this event changes everything.

This story is told from a dual point of view and alternates between past and present. It is categorized as being a thriller but I think it fits more into the genre of psychological fiction/drama. It deals with some pretty heavy issues such as sexual abuse, Alzheimer’s, secrets and lies, and molestation to name a few.

I really enjoyed this book and I think that many people will be able to relate to it. I found myself thinking about my own friendships that I thought would last a lifetime but have somehow faded with time. It made me also think about the times I have spent with some of those friends and how it once seemed impossible that we would no longer be such a huge part of each other’s lives. Many times, it seemed like Billie was obsessed with Cassie, but I just think she was desperate to hold on to the friendship that she used to have. She definitely made bad decisions but I can empathize with her feelings and found myself wanting her to find happiness.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced reader copy!

The description of this novel hit me like a gut punch. Billie hears the terrified screams of her best friend on the floor above, only to realize she is the source of that terror. Billie has kidnapped her best friend’s daughter… WOW! I’m totally hooked from the first three pages!

The novel is told in two parts. Part one traces Billie and Cassie’s friendship from the beginning as well as the daily leadup to the kidnapping. Part two focuses on how their friendship slowly unraveled overtime and post-kidnapping.

As the novel progresses, it is very apparent that Cassie and Billie have an incredibly toxic friendship based on past trauma. Billie has become codependent upon Cassie to the point that she quite unhealthily stalks her Instagram and obsesses over every detail. Cassie has her own self-esteem issues and the need to “fit in” with her new wealthy friend group, leading her to further cut ties with Billie. Neither woman is willing to completely give up the other and this becomes more apparent after the kidnapping.

Part two was intense. As the reader, I was totally immersed in the story and almost literally biting my nails while waiting for the inevitable. This is a fast-paced read, worthy of a beach or rainy day.

Billie and Cassie were best friends as kids. Now they’re adults and live very different lives but Billie has never really gotten past the fact that they’ve drifted apart. Cassie is now an Instagram influencer and has a husband and baby and Billie has none of these things. Their friendship was toxic as children and as adults, jealousy has lead Billie to make a spur of the moment decision that changes everything in the course of her life. The story begins the day the event takes place and then goes back 50 days beforehand and then to the days after. You spend a chunk of the story just waiting for Billie to get caught, which amps up the stress factor. Then slowly bits and pieces of their relationship as kids are revealed and you see why their friendship was toxic and the secret that they share that drove them apart, and while that aspect was predictable, I still enjoyed the suspense leading up to the revelation. It’s a slow burn that’s worth the wait.
I was lucky enough to have been given both an eArc and an audiobook version and the audiobook was fab! The narrators are quickly becoming 2 of my favs as they do a great job of bringing the stories to life.
Overall this was a great popcorn thriller that I would recommend with trigger warnings of sexual abuse.
Thanks to St. Martins Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this eArc and the audiobook in exchange for my review.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this.

I have to say, this book did hold my interest. It was a book though that I really didn't like the main characters but yet I wanted to keep reading to see what happened. The ending was a bit of a let down but not unexpected. I will look into reading more if this author's books.

This book touches on so many things - friendship, motherhood, secrets, relationships, molestation, Alzheimer's, trauma, 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.

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

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering is not my favorite of book by this author. It was ok but I found it a little boring and I felt like I was reading it for ever. My opinion is completely personal as I don’t enjoy characters that are “influencers.” Social media is inundated with influencers and I don’t want to read about them too (again, this is a personal opinion and does not reflect the author’s writing).

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for my digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

This ARC was sent to me by the publisher. I have never read anything by Carola Lovering and I like trying new authors so I accepted it. I enjoyed her writing style but the storyline fell short. It was entertaining and interesting but nothing that grab me and when it was over it just felt blah...

Thanks for this ARC and the opportunity of reading it early.

Carola Lovering's latest thriller, "Bye, Baby" delivers a gripping narrative that intertwines the lives of two old friends, Billie and Cassie, in a web of deception and shifting loyalties. As a fan of Lovering's previous works, I anticipated a rollercoaster ride of drama and suspense, and I wasn't disappointed. While the story didn't keep me on the edge of my seat like a typical thriller, it kept me engaged with its compelling mystery and well-developed characters.

Billie and Cassie are intricately portrayed, each with their own flaws and complexities. I found myself empathizing with Billie's struggles while despising Cassie's manipulative behavior. Despite my dislike for Cassie, I couldn't help but be drawn into her chapters, which added layers to the story's intrigue. Lovering skillfully weaves their backstories throughout the narrative, providing depth and context to their actions.

Overall, "Bye, Baby" is a masterfully executed domestic drama that delves into the complexities of female friendship, motherhood, and marriage. Lovering's clever use of flashbacks seamlessly integrates past and present, offering readers a deeper understanding of the characters' motivations. While neither woman may be particularly likable, their flawed humanity makes for a captivating read. If you're a fan of Lovering's previous novels, "Bye, Baby" is sure to satisfy your craving for drama and addictive storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

I loved this book! It was a great drama that explored toxic friendships.

I wouldn't say it was a thriller or mystery though. Will be suggesting it to friends who typically read thrillers and want to check out something different!

4 Stars!

it kind of dragged on, the story was interesting for the first half but it felt like a much longer book than it was

Reading Bye, Baby was like hearing the most salacious, juicy gossip about people you went to school with who you couldn't stand. The book was a page turner for sure but the main characters are both pretty despicable. Rather than a thriller, this is the story of the rise and fall of a friendship through the years.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this arc.

Wow!! What did I just read?! I couldn’t put this book down!! The characters were well developed and I found myself staying up way past my bedtime to finish it. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this incredible book! I will definitely be sharing it with all of my fellow book lovers!

3.5 stars
Cassie’s baby goes missing from her home, during her birthday party. Her former best friend, Billie, has taken the child. We learn very early what happened but we don’t know *why* it happened. The story is told in alternating POVs and timelines to fill in the past, present, and future for Cassie and Billie. The first half sets up the past up until that fateful moment. The second half of the book unravels with the fallout for everyone after the baby is returned and the hunt for answers begins. No one in this story is likable (except maybe Billie’s boyfriends, past & present) but I appreciate that we don’t need to relate to characters or like them to enjoy their stories. The format was unique but it also leant itself to being fairly repetitive, though I’m not sure how it could have been otherwise and still worked as well.

This book was interesting. There was enough drama to keep me turning the pages, but the desperation of the friendship was a turn off for me. Why are you so obsessed with someone who treats you so poorly? You're not a teenager anymore, you're in your 30's. Time to move on!

A quick read with despicable characters. Lots of friend/girl/mom drama, people tied together by secrets and torn apart by actions. It was a juicy drama. There was some influencer lifestyle stuff in there too that is always interesting to me. I have read several by this author and can't wait for her next ones.