Women's friendships are so complicated. Why is it this way? What happens in our formative years that set us on these paths, and how do we grow from toxic relationships? Growth, angry, resentment, jealously, and do or die for are all shown in the characters of Cassie and Billie. As well as the supporting women.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This grabbed my attention from the beginning, with an exciting-sounding plot line. I was hooked in reading the narrative of early motherhood and how it strains and affects the relationships between friends. I really enjoyed the multi-POV and timeline, which kept things interesting.

However, I didn't find it particularly "thrilling", to me it read more as a drama. If categorized that way, it may have helped my desire to finish the book toward the end.

Bye, Baby tells the story of Bille and Cassie, best friends from childhood bonded by a shared trauma. Now in their 30s, Bille and Cassie lead separate lives and have grown apart significantly. However, Billie isn't okay with how Cassie has shoved her aside for her rich new husband, her baby, and the wealthy new moms she's befriended.

I was hooked at the beginning of this story and intrigued by the frequent flashbacks from both Billie and Cassie's perspectives. At some point, I realized that neither character was very likable - Billie was desperate and lonely, while Cassie was superficial and vain.

The book examines female friendship, motherhood, jealousy, class, and more. It's thoughtfully written, and the plot is fast and intriguing, but I wanted more nuance from the characters. Readers should also be warned of sexual abuse.

A twisted tale of friendship that kept me engaged. I was definitely waiting for something big to happen or a plot twist that never came but nevertheless it was a well fleshed out tale of two former besties that both came with a lot of baggage. I would have loved a stronger ending but this one satisfied any lingering questions.

My introduction to Carola Lovering's work was nothing short of fantastic, and I owe it to NetGalley for granting me an early copy of this gripping book. From the very beginning, I was completely engrossed in the story.

At its core, this book revolves around the tumultuous friendship of Billie and Cassie, who have weathered the storms of life together. Their journey is unveiled through multiple points of view and timelines, a narrative style I found immensely rewarding. It allowed us to delve deep into both characters' lives, uncovering the intricacies of their shared history.

While it may not fit the classic thriller mold, this story is far from lacking in suspense. Its fast-paced nature keeps you on the edge of your seat, and a shroud of mystery envelops the plot.

One of the aspects I particularly enjoyed was the influencer angle woven into the story. It injected moments of humor and levity throughout the narrative. The book's conclusion is a satisfying one, neatly tying up the story's loose ends. It's worth mentioning that Billie's character growth shines as a beacon of resilience, considering the tumultuous journey she undertakes.

***** I have received and read an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for giving my honest feedback. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.*****

The book description sounded interesting, so I was really looking forward to this one.

Unfortunately, it fell flat for me.

I had expected a thriller, but the book spent so much time on building the history and friendship that I just felt underwhelmed and wanted to quit.

The characters are unlikeable and I couldn't connect with them, and the plot is fairly straightforward without any real twists or turns to keep me hanging on.

I did finish, but if I hadn't agreed to review this book, I would have put it down within the first half of the book.

Are the friends and bonds we make when we are younger supposed to stand the test of time? Do you have a bond with someone that is a secret and while you both continue to grow that secret stays between you like an unspoken bond of horror?
While reading this book you go back and forth between perspectives trying to decide who the real villain of the book is…. The friend who took the baby or the friend who neglected her?
There are always three sides to the story…. Will you take Billie’s, Cassie’s or what lies unsaid between them?

I usually enjoy Lovering’s books but this was not my favorite. It reads much more of a domestic drama than a thriller. I did find that Cassie’s perspective on being a new mom was spot on and that the author did a good job describing changes in friendships after kids.

Thanks to Net Galley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC!

This was a very good novel about a toxic friendship. I liked how it went all the way back to how Cassie and Billie first became friends and the chapters alternated between their present day relationship and its progression through the years. It was interesting to see both their viewpoints and both characters were well developed. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

3.5 stars rounded up I'm a fan of Carola Lovering as she writes about toxic love gone wrong, unreliable narrators, and broken timelines.

Bye, Baby starts with an interesting premise. Billie is in an empty apartment in New York and here's woman screaming in the apartment above. She can make out that the woman is screaming to people in the apartment that her baby is missing. She demands someone call her best friend, Billie, because Billie will understand.

Billy is also holding the woman's baby. The woman is Cassie, Billie's best friend since junior high.

Or is she?

This book had dual timelines and POVs. Bouncing from when Billie and Cassie first met, to the months leading up to the kidnapping. In the more present day timelines, it's clear that Billie and Cassie's friendship is fractured, and they are tethered by something that happened in the past.

While I enjoyed reading this book, it was missing some depth in the characters. I;m also over social media influencers as main characters, but it's 2023 and this is the world we live in.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC for my honest review.

This is marketed as a thriller but it is a story about friendship and past secrets. I enjoyed the writing style, dual POVs, past and present time lines. While I enjoyed it, something was missing for me. I think the book needed an epilogue, Cassie and Billie passing each other on the street 10 years later. Or Cassie discovering something about Grant and deciding to stay or leave. The ending was a little anti climactic but I’d still recommend.

This was my first Carola Lovering book and I loved it! Thank you netgalley for my advanced copy. I was instantly hooked with this story! This story was about two childhood friends, Billie and Cassie who have gone through A LOT in their friendship. I really enjoyed the different POV and timelines. We were able to really learn about both characters and gain some depth to the overall why of the story. I don’t necessarily feel like the story had much of a thriller plot to it, but it definitely was fast paced and had some mystery.

I loved the influencer side of the book as well - gave me quite the chuckle a lot of the time. The end I felt really tied a bow on the overall story and I loved the growth of Billie to finish it off because girl had been through it. Lol

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

I was not able to finish the book and therefore do not feel that I can give an unbiased review about the book, its plot, characters, or the author's work. I might revisit this book at a later time and finish it then, but not right now.

Thank you, netgalley, for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first book by Carola Lovering, and it will not be my last. I did go into this thinking it would be thriller/mystery and it was more of a twisty, toxic friendship. It was a great read centered around friendship and motherhood, and I couldn't put it down. It was such a great read! I truly enjoyed the characters and storyline.

4/5 Stars

this book was definitely interesting and unique. it’s a bit confusing going through it, especially because the story starts in the middle, works backwards, and then going through until the end. however i really did enjoy the story itself and the conclusion.
grant was a tool, billie was a really bad friend needs EXTENSIVE therapy, ella deserves better, cassie was a bad friend and also needs therapy, alex deserves better but im glad he’s there to hold billie accountable i guess?

I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat as to what was going to happen next. The dual POV was easy to follow and added to the book overall. However, I do feel maybe the book was a little dragged out and could have ended sooner. With that being said, I still really did enjoy it and would recommend it to others.

Cassie and Billie have been best friends since middle school. They’ve been through everything together. Now they’re in their mid thirties and have drifted apart. Cassie is living the influencer life as a new mom with a wealthy husband, while Billie is traveling the world without any desire for kids. Billie wishes she could connect with Cassie again, but Cassie continually pushes her away. Then one night, Cassie’s baby disappears and they rekindle their friendship.

This book was SO GOOD! I was so invested in each of these characters despite not really liking any of them. Cassie was truly horrid -so vapid and self obsessed. Billie was too hung up on Cassie and refused to let go. The character development was great-I genuinely believed in each of their actions based on their motivations. I couldn’t put this down.

Lovering has a knack for writing about flawed, mostly unlikeable characters while still keeping it engaging. I can’t say I was rooting for anyone, but I definitely wanted to find out what would happen.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.
Two friends have drifted apart and gone down different paths. There are a lot of twists in this book that kept me interested and reading it all in a short time. I have not read any books from this author but I plan on reading the rest of her books.

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering is a fast paced story about two women, Cassie and Billie, who grew up as best friends. What happens when one friend “outgrows” the other and leaves her behind? But when Cassie’s baby is missing, all she wants is her friend Billie to comfort her. It’s twisted to the point where I wasn’t sure who I was rooting for even in the end as we learn more about their past and what led up to the present events. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!