This was the best thriller I’ve listened to in a while. I absolutely loved the sarcastic humor that Lucy and her grandmother both had. It made this book less heavy, which is hard to do with a suspenseful thriller. The premise of the suspected murderer having no memory of the events was also unique to me. And once all the memories and timeline of events started falling into place, I was dying to see how it ended. And the ending still took me by surprise.

The narrators also did a very good job with the characters they portrayed, giving each of them a unique voice both figuratively and literally.

I didn’t want this book to end. Thanks so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to review this book.

This was a unique and engaging thriller with interesting commentary on friendship, growing apart and motherhood. I didn't find the main characters particularly likeable, but their stories were interesting. While the secret between the two friends from the past was pretty easy to predict early on, the present-day story had me very curious as to how it would all pan out. The first chapter drew me in, but it was really hard to put down at/after the 50% mark. This has alternate timelines and perspectives which really work for me.

Bye, Baby (audiobook)
4⭐️ Domestic drama/suspense.

This is for you if you like drama and unlikeable characters. Both main characters are cringy in their own ways, but I was drawn to the gossipy drama train wreck. The narrators were great!

This follows Billie and Cassie, childhood best friends, who drift apart in adulthood. Cassie seems to accept this change easier than Billie does. Even though Billie and Cassie haven’t been close for years, Billie’s thoughts are consumed by Cassie. While Cassie is living her dream life with her rich husband and friends and a successful social media following, Billie finds herself mentally and emotionally tied to Cassie and their initial bond making it difficult to move forward in her life.

The story unfolds through alternating POVs and timelines. After years of pushing Billie away, Cassie is finally begging Billie to be in her life. Cassie spirals after her baby is kidnapped and can no longer trust anyone except Billie. Billie is delighted to finally be Cassie’s #1 person again, but guilt gnaws at her knowing she is the reason Cassie is now broken.

Thank you to NetGalley, Carola Lovering, and Macmillan Audio for providing this audio ARC. This review is being shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date 05 Mar 2024

Carola Lovering is a stickler for creating stories with emphasis on toxic, unhealthy relationships. In Bye, Baby, the relationship is between two childhood, longtime friends, Billie and Cassie.

Billie and Cassie met as 12 year old girls and quickly formed a friendship that changed with time, experience, and life. In the present, they are in their mid-30s and are in different phases of life. Cassie is a new wife and mother of a newborn/entrepreneur. Billie is successful, single and dating. But she is desperate to connect with her friend.

The story is entertaining with dreadful characters. Billie, in my opinion was entirely too thirsty, pathetic, and desperate for Cassie’s attention and couldn’t “read the room”. Seeing her interactions with Cassie gave me second hand embarrassment. Cassie was a shallow, snobby be-yotch and I couldn’t stand her. So, here we are…

I couldn’t even believe what Billie did to get some attention and be welcomed back into the fold. Have you no decency? Character? Dignity? I really didn’t like that addition of the storyline.

I wouldn’t go into this story expecting a thriller; I don’t think Carola writes thrillers, but it does have some high tension moments here and there. The story was good, entertaining and the narration was great!!

Unpacking the complications of female friendships, a kidnapping, and a murder all rolled into one. This is my first read by Carola lovering and I will definitely be checking out their other titles. The storyline had me rooting for both characters throughout, despite loads of poor choices by them both. Add in a budding romance with a police officer who eventually begins investigating the kidnapping committed by his new girlfriend, the suspense is high and I found myself nervous for when the other shoe would drop. The production and narration were excellent and kept me hooked the entire time.

<b>Bye, Baby</b> starts with a bang. One fall night, Billie hears Cassie’s hysterical screams one floor above as she discovers her infant daughter has gone missing. Billie looks down into her arms and realizes she is holding the baby. I was immediately drawn in from the start and wanted to know how Billie ended up with Cassie’s baby.

Billie and Cassie become fast friends at the age of 12 despite coming from different backgrounds. Bonded by a traumatic event in high school, they manage to maintain their tight knit friendship through the years, but when they reach their 30s and life takes them in different directions, they find themselves drifting apart. Cassie is now a social media influencer with a new baby, new wealthy husband and a new set of posh friends, while Billie is single and childless. As Cassie embraces her new life, she distances herself from Billie. I really liked Billie’s character while the opposite can be said about Cassie who I did not like at all throughout the book.

In my opinion, despite being categorized by some as a mystery or thriller, the narrative delves into the realm of domestic drama and suspense, focusing on a toxic friendship. Through dual perspectives from Cassie and Billie, as well as alternating between past and present timelines, the story unfolds, revealing the unraveling of their friendship. The POVs and timelines were very distinct making it easy to keep them straight. This book explores complicated friendships, the long lasting affects of trauma, as well as what it is like for some women who choose to not have children.

I listened to the audiobook which was skillfully narrated by Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker, both of whom did a great job. Their portrayal of Cassie and Billie perfectly matched my imagined voices for the characters.

This was a very bingeable read and one I would recommend for people who like domestic drama. 4 stars. 💫

My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion. It is due to publish 3/5/24.

Damn. This story was something else.

I primarily listened to this on audio, and the audiobook was amazing. Since it’s told from two POVs with shifting perspectives and alternating timelines, Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker absolutely brought it to life. They gave such an impeccable performance that I had to stop listening halfway through because I was so disturbed by the events of the story. The images were vivid and visceral, thanks to their narrating style. I highly recommend it, but be warned: certain events in the book were triggering for me.

This was a dark and poignant look at best friends who have drifted apart. It wasn’t just about growing up and outgrowing each other; it’s way deeper than that. Cassie and Billie, both complex characters, were unhinged yet endearing in a way. It feels like every woman has experienced an all-consuming female friendship, and sometimes those friendships can feel stronger and more gripping than a romantic relationship. This is a love story primarily about friendship, and then its demise.

Read this if:

• You’re a city girl/person at heart.
• You had the ultimate crush on Pacey from Dawson’s Creek.
• You still scream-sing Alanis Morissette songs.
• You know what it’s like to not be friends with someone you thought you’d be friends with for the rest of your life.
• You have ever questioned whether you want to be a mother, or if you are currently a mother and your child is everything to you.
• Social media culture often makes you cringe/sick.

Some people have said the ending fell flat, but I think it ended perfectly, and I feel satisfied. This was a wild story of a supportive friendship that was on a soulmate level, then turned toxic and rotten to the core. This is definitely worth reading if any of this appeals to you.

Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, & Macmillan Audio, for the ARC, physical copy, and ALC. This publishes on 3/5/24!

This is most definitely not a mystery/thriller, despite the blurb and the unfortunate title. Not that the story isn't without merit, just know that going into it. Best to just avoid the blurb as it gives too much away.
This is an exploration of obsession and a toxic friendship that defies understanding - until vou realize the reasons behind it.
Cassie and Billie have been the best of friends since childhood, and bonded together in inexplicable ways. Now in their 30s, Billie remains unmarried and childless, while the term "gold digger" is an understatement when it comes to Cassie. She married up in a big way, is a new mom, and is now an
"influencer" on G. With her new life and rich friends, she has cast Billie aside.
Billie is deeply hurt and can't let it go. She goes to extraordinary means to maintain the friendship, which clearly is one-sided.
I admit to being frustrated with Billie's character in the beginning, but we eventually learn why Billie is trauma bonded to Cassie and it all starts to make sense.
Let's just say Billie needed years of therapy. I would have enjoyed it more if the author had included a therapist or the psychology of her character's behaviors in the narrative. It's no secret to anyone who has followed my reviews that I love psychologically complex characters and I would have loved to have seen this theme explored further. I had to stretch my understanding of the psychology of trauma bonding to understand it.
There's a shocking incident that brings things to a head, and we finally get the backstory on what happened all those years ago, which sheds light on Billie's behavior.

Bye, Baby takes an unflinching look at the battling forces of toxicity and love which define so many female friendships.

If you pick this book up don’t go into it thinking it’s a thriller. This is more like an intimate look at friendship. It follows Billie and Cassie through their years long relationship. Initially I was hooked. Like I had to know what was going down then when I got to the end I was disappointed. I’m sure the point of the story is to analyze this complex female friendship so the disappointment at the end was on me.

Unlikable characters are important in some stories. However, Cassie is so intolerable, I could not fully get into this book. It felt like a chore to keep going sometimes. Even worse, in the audiobook, Cassie's POV is narrated by Karissa Vacker- one of my absolute favorite narrators. It made me so conflicted- I love listening to Karissa Vacker, but couldn't stand listening to Cassie's POV.

Billie, narrated by Helen Laser, is more complex and more sympathetic.

There is a lot less suspense/thriller than I expected. It is more about how being a terrible human being impacts your life and relationships.

Overall, the book was OK. Part of the reason I didn't fully connect is due to it not being what I expected. The other reason is because I cannot stand Cassie.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this one!! I’m a sucker for a toxic female friendship and this one totally delivered! Dark pasts. Stained present day relationship. I ate this one up. I also loved that one of the main characters was an influencer on instagram. I tend to enjoy those storylines. Carola has quickly become one of my favorite authors with all her binge-worthy books. Highly recommend and the audio was fantastic!

This was such a gripping story! I listened to the audiobook in one day, and absolutely loved it! I was really invested in how the characters would overcome the situation they wound up in.

Bye, Baby tells the story of two friends childhood as they try navigating their adult lives. Billie and Cassie went to high school together in their small, suburban hometown, but both wanted to move to get away from their dark past there. As adults, they've made it to New York City. Cassie has married rich and just had a baby, while also building her brand on Instagram to advertise for her boutique, funded by her husband. Billie, on the other hand, works for a high-end travel agency and spends her days childfree, flying all around the world. Cassie has outgrown Billie and she no longer fits into Cassie's life, until one day, after Cassie's baby has gone missing, she realizes that Billie is the only person she can count on. Unfortunately for Cassie, Billie is the one who took her baby in the first place. This book was an amazing exploration of female friendships and how they change over time as we grow up and our priorities change. Both Billie and Cassie were such interesting characters and the book took us back to their childhood and college years as they were growing up, so we could see how their friendship changed over time and why they are so dependent on each other. The narrators for the audiobook did an absolutely amazing job, and I think they helped develop the characters through their voice acting. Fans of Carola Lovering will love this book, and it will also appeal to people who enjoy Rachel Hawkins and Sarah Pekkanen.

Bye, Baby follows two childhood friends as they grow up. They have secrets and the secrets hurt their friendship, but also holds it together. This was a good book.

This story was about two long term friends, Cassie, a mom influencer in NYC and Billie, her childhood best friend and their toxic relationship. They have a friendship that goes deeper because of tragedy that they both experienced when young. I enjoyed the writing style and thought that the story was captivating. The characters were fun, unlikable, and great for the story; however, all except Billie seemed one dimensional. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a fantastic job. I could not put it down.

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.

The narrators were fantastic, however. I have listened to several books narrated by both of them and have never been disappointed. They are truly a big reason I was able to push through this story to the end.

Bye, Baby is a fun thriller/mystery/friendship story that feels like a soap opera gone wrong. The characters feel very real and I am insanely jealous of their careers and fancy penthouses.......maybe I should become a gold-digger??

I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed how the two narrators brought the characters to life. The pacing was well done and I appreciated how each segment was divided into seperate POVs and a clear timeline. One thing I really loved is that the narrators change their voices depending on who their character is speaking to---for example, when Cassie makes an Instagram post, the narrator's tone would become super bright and enthusiastic and false, conveying Cassie's Insta-ego.

I recommend this audiobook to anyone who loves soap opera drama and wants to feel like they're listening to a 2020s episode of Gossip Girl. Super fun to read and definitely a page/ear(?) turner. haha

Thank you NetGally for the ARC of this audiobook!
Publication date: March 5

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. I listened to the audio version, which is masterfully read by Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker, both of whom infused their respective characters with a lot of emotion. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the early reading opportunity.

Whoa. What the heck did I read?????

Billie and Cassie have been friends since they were 12, when Cassie moved to upstate New York. The two girls became fast friends and continued that friendship on to adulthood.

The story opens with Billie having Cassie’s daughter Ella and Cassie has no idea where her daughter went.

The story flips between both women and over multiple years. We learn about their friendship and how they got to this point.

Some part of Cassie’s perspective honestly just annoyed me. She is not a likable character to me.

This book was so much more than I expected. Be mindful of the insane amount of wealth and have some of the characters flaunt that at every turn.

Bye, Baby follows two childhood best friends, bonded over a shared, terrible secret from their teens into adulthood. While different seasons can naturally cause friendships to grow apart, that is not what is happening here. Cassie is intentionally trying to distance herself from her oldest friend and you get a first-hand account of this through her POV, while also getting the POV of Billie desperately trying to hold on. There’s very much a codependency, trauma bond feel to Billie’s desperation. Billie’s hurt and anger result in an impulsive choice one night. A choice she immediately regrets, but it’s too late to stop the consequences she has already set in motion. I felt sorry for Billie one minute, understanding her hurt and pain, then angry the next, as she seemed to almost grovel and beg Cassie for attention. I disliked Cassie, almost repulsed by who she was, except when she spoke about her daughter. Her attachment and fear over her baby was an excellent way to get the reader to sympathize with a character who otherwise didn’t seem very redeemable to me! I thought this was well done!

This was a great balance between suspense and contemporary fiction. Enough tension and uncertainty to leave me guessing, but also a deep dive into a friendship that once was significant but now is toxic and harmful, and what it means to have to let that go even when your heart does not want to. Listening to this on audio was an excellent choice as well! The dual narration made the POVs easy to follow, and the voices matched the characters perfectly. I highly recommend the audio format.

‼️ NOTE: a couple of trigger warnings may be significant to some readers. I am choosing not to post them for those who may see them as spoilers, but please feel free to ask if you know there are things you prefer to be aware of before reading!

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillannaudio for this ALC!