Yes!! This is what I’ve been waiting for! A bit ok that I literally can’t stop reading. I tore through this book in abut 2 days. The story is told in 2 views
Pints I’m 2 different timelines. I loved the story, the writing style and the characters. One of the best books I’ve read all year.

“Bye, Baby” is almost addictive. It was literally impossible for me to put down. The main characters, Billie and Cassie, have a long relationship, but it seems to be reaching a conclusion. People grow up and change. It’s hard to imagine two characters more different than these two. But that hasn’t always been the case. The author lets each character tell parts of their story…and the ending is completely unexpected. I couldn’t recommend this book any more highly.

Bye, Baby
Carola Lovering
Pub Date March 5 2024
St. Martins press
Thriller
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a very engrossing book about two best friends who went their separate ways. This is a very character driven book driven by jealousy, revenge and dark secrets. I really liked this book and feel many will be able to relate to it,
5 stars

Two girls who meet in High School in a small Hudson Valley town. One lives with her divorced mother and new boyfriend. The other has moved from the Hamptons as her Dad has lost all the family money. When the mother of one of the girls develops Alzheimer's and the stepfather starts abusing the daughter, the other girl steps in to save her. One goes to Harvard, the other to Northeastern. They see less of each other and one of them gets married and has a child. When that child is kidnapped, the woman reaches out to her friend again. What she doesn't know is that her friend is the one who has kidnapped the child. A good page-turner with a few twists.

So, as a mother, I don't know why but thrillers about being a mother and the things that can very well happen always intrigue me as there isn't anything I wouldn't do for my children. I saw this title and knew I had to read it. While I wouldn't classify this as a thriller, it definitely kept my attention. Knowing Billie was willing to do anything to have her friend back, even down to stealing her infant was just wild to me. I don't think it should be classified as a thriller as she immediately returns her and she's just scared she's going to get caught. I enjoyed this read and like I said, it definitely kept my attention.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martins Press for allowing me a ARC of Carola Lovering’s new book in exchange for an honest review. We explore the past and present of two lifelong best friends and what leads up to their toxic friendship. We first meet Billie, the hard to love with a struggled past who has made the decision to not want to have kids. Then we have Cassie, an up and coming influencer who showcases her glamorous life, rich loving husband and perfect child through her Instagram followers. These two friends seem nothing alike, but are forever bonded by a horrible accident that they must keep a secret.
This story is told in a dual pov that leads up to mothers worst nightmare as her newborn being kidnapped and the drama/ terror that happens after. I really felt for this book as the main theme surrounds around friendships and the ups and downs that life either pulls us apart or can keep us close. I also found it refreshing as a 30 year old that the author really dug into what it’s like on being on opposite ends of either wanting to become a mother or be childless. This also encompasses how growing up we sometime out grow our friends or seem to miss out huge life events because we are not at the same stage in life as them. I’ve definitely felt this many times in my life and it really spoke to me. My only compliant was I was hoping for more a thriller / mystery aspect as it portrayed. There were parts in the middle that seemed to lag, but understand it how the Carola was trying to build up to climax and suspense but it fell a little short for me. I’ve always enjoyed this Author’s books, and excited for her next one! This comes out

I really liked this one. A lot different from the usual thrillers I’m reading! I would definitely recommend picking this one up!

While I loved the dual timeline and multiple POV, this book missed the mark for me. I love the thriller/mystery genre and this book was not one of those. I enjoyed reading and hearing Billie's POV and hated Cassie so much. The toxic and shallow behavior made her unbearable for me. Although this book wasn't my favorite, I will read Carola Lovering again!

Wow, was this a wild ride! This is a story of the friendship between Billie and Cassie who have known each other for ages. The story flashes back and forth between the two woman in time. We are thrust into an abduction of Cassie's baby. It's from this point on that you cannot stop flying through the pages. Sooo many questions! This was a fantastic read!

This was such a good story. It had me hooked from the very beginning! I can’t wait for more people to read this

Special thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
I read this quickly but have had a hard time trying to figure out how to review it...both characters did some awful stuff, one more than the other...I had a hard time feeling sorry for Cassie and actually liked her more after her baby was "kidnapped". I liked Billie but also got really annoyed with her for being so obsessed w/ Cassie's friendship. I didn't love the ending...it seemed too rushed and not really tied up very well. It was good enough to keep me interested but left me with an unfulfilled feeling.

Cassie and Billie have been friends for decades. But as Cassie's life becomes more glamorous and starts to revolve around being married and having kids, she starts to shut out single Billie who only reminds her of her past. When Cassie's daughter goes missing their relationship may change forever.

***

This book was one of the most frustrating reads in a long time. I ping ponged around on how I felt about every character and every motive.

By the end, however, it leaned to heavily into me disliking one character who got their perfect ending. Undeservedly.

<spoiler> Cassie is awful, and it kills me that she got her perfect ending and her bff McKay back. I would understand if she started pushing Billie away after murdering her stepdad, as she wanted to distance herself from all of that, but she only starts to dump Billie after she gets the rich life and the friend she always wanted!!! YEARS LATER!!! She deserves nothing, and it totally annoys me everything works out perfectly for her, when abused and broken Billie has to go around feeling bad about an intrusive thought gets the best of her. What she did was crazy, but Cassie drove her there. At least the brief kidnapping turned Cassie *briefly* into a better person. </spoiler>

All in all, I enjoyed the read up until the end, when I wanted to throw my Kindle at Cassie's head.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much. It would be a great book club pick because the characters are so morally debatable. The characters are roughly my age and it's set partly in 2023, and I thought the author did a great job of capturing us. I could picture Cassie's bougie momcore Instagram stories ... and laughed too hard at all of the relatable bitchiness, but there was some genuine suspense and horror here, too. A very good book, will be enthusiastically recommending.

3.75 stars! This book is told in multiple POV and dual timelines, which I enjoy. It’s a story of friendship over the years and how you can grow apart from those you love. It had some suspense in it, making me want to keep reading to find out what happens. All in all, it was a good book & I want to read more of this author, as I enjoyed her writing style.

TW: Sexual assault, Alzheimer’s, death of a loved one

**Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martens Publishing Group, & Carola Lovering for this ARC. All reviews are my own and not sponsored.

Oh my goodness I loved this book! Bye, Baby is all about a very toxic friendship between two women, Billie and Cassie, who have been friends since childhood. The opening chapter begins with Billie having kidnapped Cassie’s baby and that was all I needed to get hooked on this book! It’s told from both women’s perspectives in dual timelines. I loved how this book contains so many different topics such as motherhood, toxic friendships, trauma, and of course social media! Because of this, I feel most all women reading this book will be able to resonate in some way to either Billie or Cassie. This was my first Carola Lovering novel and it will not be my last! Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an ARC of this book!

Carola does a great job of making her characters feel like real people, especially the ones you despise. This book, for me, much like her 2018 debut, “Tell Me Lies.” was full of unlikable characters… which only make the story more interesting. “Bye, Baby” is an easy-to-devour read, full of true-to-character references and details.

Wowww this book was a rollercoaster. I was trying to figure out with each chapter who I was rooting for and I didn’t really decide until the end, and it definitely didn’t end the way I was expecting. I read this in a day and would definitely recommend it if you’re a fan of psychological thrillers.

Billie and Cassie have been friends since childhood, sharing traumas and secrets. But as they’ve grown up, they’ve grown apart. Cassie has married a wealthy man and had her first baby, while also becoming a lifestyle influencer. Billie hasn’t yet met the right guy for her, and she has no interest in having a baby herself. But suddenly, Billie realizes she’s holding a baby in her arms. Not just any baby, Cassie’s baby. And Cassie is screaming for her missing child. Will their friendship ever recover?

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC!

This domestic thriller about a friendship gone bad between two questionable women was both frustrating and absorbing. While I didn’t particularly like either of the main characters, wanting to know how it all played out kept me involved. The basic stupidity of the situation Billie creates for herself by taking her former friend’s baby from its crib is a bit difficult to accept, but the characters are well-written as people you enjoy hating. My biggest disappointment was Billie’s relationship with a man who was too good for her.

THIS book grabs you from the first page and doesn't let go! You will not want to miss out on this chilling story! This will be one of the hits of next spring for sure.

This was my first read by Carola Lovering. It was about two friends since high school, Billie and Cassie, and they used to be inseparable growing up, but after college & Cassie getting married, the two grow apart. Cassie gets married into a very wealthy family and has a beautiful daughter she shows off all over social media to her tens of thousands of followers. Billie is still single and gets pushed out of Cassie's "perfect" life by Cassie and her new friends. Billie is obsessed with Cassie and Cassie is obsessed with herself. Billie can't understand how it feels to be in a happy relationship and not having a great life growing up, never had any desire to be mother. Billie starts dating a detective, Alex, who I feel is patient and a great guy for Billie.The friendship soon becomes one-sided and a little obsessive at some points in the story, where it makes Billie's point of view a little uncomfortable to read! I had to get to the end just to see what happens to the characters. I would definitely try another book of Ms. Lovering's in the future!